


Don't Talk of Stars Burning Above

by DarkJediQueen



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Typical Violence, Discussion of Rape, M/M, Mute Jack Hotchner, Mute Spencer Reid, Past Child Abuse, Slow Burn, Soulmates, violence against animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-10 22:46:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 171,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16463825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen
Summary: Aaron Hotchner is just trying to do his best. Trying to do his best for his son, for his team, and for the victims that he helps. After Haley dies in WitSec, Jack comes back to him a broken boy. Jack's not said a word since his mother died. Dave introduces him to a fellow FBI Agent, an analyst, who is mute, who Jack bonds with instantly. What follows is a whirlwind of trials and tribulations as Dave makes sure that there is only a single agent is put forth when one of the team leaves. Doctor Spencer Reid: FBI Agent, Genius, Tech Guru, Play Enthusiast, and Mute.





	1. Arc 1-May 2009

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NimueOfTheNorth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NimueOfTheNorth/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [NimueOfTheNorth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NimueOfTheNorth/pseuds/NimueOfTheNorth) in the [profilers_anon](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/profilers_anon) collection. 



> **Year** : Season 5 (2009-2010)
> 
>  **Spoilers** : Up Through Season 6
> 
>  **Notes** : " _Speech from Spencer's Tablet_ " _Spencer's Texts_ **Aaron's Texts** Texts from Anyone Else
> 
>  **Beta** : rivermoon1970
> 
> This was a labor of love on my part. I got the idea from a prompt in the Profiler's Anonymous prompt meme and then it just grew and grew and grew. I am so happy that I saw the prompt and that I was able to make such a story out of it.

Aaron Hotchner hadn't questioned his lack of a soulmate mark on his body in years. He hadn't thought about it at all since meeting and falling in love with Haley. Haley Brooks whose soulmate had died when she was young, who had never met her soulmate, who hadn't cared that Aaron didn't have the mark. To her, that meant that Aaron was made to be hers, even if the fates hadn't given them to each other. Haley had never felt that Aaron was anyone else's. It was probably why she thought that she could get away with what she had before the inevitable divorce. Aaron had given Haley everything that she wanted, and thankfully she hadn't tried to keep Jack from him. The divorce had still been bitter, and one meeting between the two of them and their lawyers ended with her telling him that she knew why he didn't have a soulmate mark on his arm. Because he was never going to be in love with anything that wasn't the BAU and that since the BAU was a thing, its words to him that made him fall in love would never be uttered.

That thought kept going through Aaron’s mind as he tried to make sense of everything that was going on in his life at the moment. Haley and Jack were being whisked off to Witness Protection to protect them from the serial killer George Foyet, better known as The Boston Reaper. Aaron was in the hospital after said serial killer had attacked him inside of his own apartment and stabbed him nine times before dropping him off outside of an ER. Aaron’s team was distraught because they had not been able to get a hold of him and it took hours before it had been discovered that he had been attacked, longer still to find him. Aaron hated that he had been the cause of discord among the team, part of them wanting to find him and the other part wanting to work the case that they had been given. 

A case that Aaron never would have let them take. The case in Canada had taken up too many reserves physically and had way too much of an emotional impact which meant that the team needed a break of at least a day. The team had no reason to be the one to take that case. It didn't matter what reasons that Strauss had for making them take it, Aaron would have said no and taken it above her head. Mistakes were made on the case, and not all of it had to do with their split focus on finding Aaron. Dean Brannon had been left alone with the subject of a serial murderer, in the end, the subject had lost his life, and Brannon had to watch the UnSub take out the victim before Brannon could shoot him. Aaron had forced Dave to give him the reports that had been typed up in the day and a half since the end of the case. Aaron had no idea when he was getting out of the hospital; the doctors were worried about reopening the wounds on the inside, so he was being kept under close watch. The doctors who had found him reading over the reports had frowned, but Aaron had won with a glare and an explanation that he wasn't going to do anything but read and did it really matter if he was reading a book or a report, both were going to put him to sleep. 

It had taken seven times of falling asleep just to wake up again before Aaron had been able to read all of them. Aaron knew that part of why he was being kept was that the doctor was sure that he would do something stupid if he were allowed out. Dave was sure to have a hand in that and Aaron knew that Dave was right and he would. Right now, Dave had access to everything that was given to Aaron, and so he knew what the man would be doing. However, Aaron had talked a nurse out of a notebook and a pen so that he could work on Foyet's profile and try to catch the fucking son of a bitch. 

* * *

Aaron heard the nurse moving around in the room. It was time for a check on his pain medicine and his vitals before breakfast. Aaron tried to ignore that she was even in there. He tried to ignore that he wasn’t alone and couldn’t lock his hospital room. The ward was under lockdown because of him being in there. A private ICU ward that Dave had said was a bitch for even him to get into and the rest of the team had been barred. Once it was figured out that Foyet wasn’t going to be caught quickly or easily, the Director of the FBI had made sure that Aaron was protected. It wasn’t something that Aaron was thankful for. He would rather have it out in a shoot-out with Foyet while in the hospital than to go home and wait for him to show up again.

“Agent Hotchner, you didn’t fill out your food card. Do you want the same thing as yesterday?”

Aaron kept his opinion to himself because it was the same question every single day from the nurse. He had filled out his food card the first two days that he was there and nothing on it had been correct, so he had given up. At least then, he could blame it on the nurse.

“Yes, oatmeal with milk and brown sugar, orange juice with a cup of coffee, no creamer or sugar, please.” The nurse left the room without saying a thing to Aaron. Aaron didn’t reach for the button that would turn on the light. The nurse would do that when she brought his food. He wasn’t fussy about his lunch and dinner; he could stomach whatever they gave him, used to grabbing food and not being able to eat it when it was warm or even slightly cold while on cases. 

The silence of the room was deafening to Aaron. He liked the time to think, but today the thoughts just weren't coming. It was a week in the hospital and the only bright spot in his day was the physical therapy. He was pushed out of his bed and made to walk around the ward while a physical therapist that made Morgan look small made sure that he didn't fall. Each day he got a little farther before he would have to rest. Aaron had never balked at doing what was needed to get himself back in the field, not since his stupidity with the explosion and what it had almost cost him by going back into the field excessively early. 

Aaron turned on the light, needing it before the nurse brought his meal it seemed, and grabbed the notebook that he had halfway full of things about Foyet and the Foyet case files that he remembered in bits and pieces. There was a section at the back that Aaron was using to write up his thoughts on the case that the team had worked. Both about the fact that they had the case and the reality of what his team had done without him at the helm. Aaron wasn't as upset with the team as he would have been if they had sacrificed more than a single team member to find him. Prentiss had done well at keeping the rest of the team's mind off him so that they could work the case, but it could have been handed off to another team from any other unit, and he might have been found earlier. There was also a page on the fact that a forty-four magnum had gone off in the middle of the night inside of his apartment and no one had called the cops. That was something to discuss with the building owners. His notes were down though so that he wouldn't forget a thing. 

The page opened up to the one that Aaron had been messing with on and off. Aaron had been writing down things to add to a dating profile online. Dave had been talking about it, but Aaron had been ignoring him. Sitting in the hospital room though with only Dave as company had changed Aaron's mind. Not that he would have allowed whoever he was seeing to come and visit him, not with Foyet possibly there watching but the thought that there was someone out there missing him did have its perks. 

Aaron looked at his arm, where he felt there should be a mark, where he had kept wishing for a mark to appear. There was nothing. After sixteen years old, Aaron had stopped hoping that a mark would appear. He didn't want someone who was so much younger than him. Nothing had ever appeared on his arm so that only meant the person meant for him was dead before Aaron had even been born. Aaron didn't know which was harder, knowing that his soulmate was dead or never knowing if he even had one. The population of the world was split in half, but the Hotchner's had always had a soul mark, it was a matter of pride for Aaron's father. Sean had one, so he was the favored son. Of course, Sean wasn't interested in finding his soulmate. He hadn't cared about finding whoever it was before their father had died, but he had gone to every event that their father had forced them to go to. Aaron had never gone to one, even with Sean and at the time Aaron had been thankful. 

Soulmate meeting events were nothing more than veritable meat markets for underage kids. The surge of the parties had been huge when Aaron had been a kid even though it had a success rate of less than five percent across the nation the parties still happened. If the marks were the first words said between a mated pair, it would be different, but instead, it was the words said that made the other fall in love, which wasn't always said at the same time. 

One of the kitchen staff entered with the tray of Aaron's breakfast, he smiled at her and looked at his food. He saw that there was an extra cup of coffee on the tray. The lady smiled at him and nodded down towards the plate that held two cut slices of wheat toast with two packets of apple butter. 

"I've already put in your breakfast order for the week, Agent Hotchner. I heard you talking to one of your coworkers the other day. Don't worry about getting a messed up order."

"Thank you." Aaron smiled at the lady, looking at her badge to see that it was flipped around. Aaron's eyes narrowed, and the lady frowned before following his gaze. The lady smiled and flipped her badge around. 

"They flip so much. I never know which way it's facing. Linda Turner, Sir. My brother works out of the DC office as a field agent. You need anything for breakfast, just ask for a note to be given to Linda. I'm the only one that works morning shift."

"Thank you." 

Linda left the room before Aaron could say anything else. Aaron picked up the first cup of coffee and drank it down. He hadn't been allowed it before now, having to settle for weak tea to combat the caffeine headaches he got. Aaron set the empty cup down before he started to smear the apple butter on his toast then added the brown sugar to his oatmeal. Once that was mixed to his liking he poured a little milk from the cup in and drank what was left. The orange juice was weak compared to what Aaron usually liked. He could live on it though because it helped with the aftertaste of the paste that was the oatmeal. 

Breakfast was eaten as fast as Aaron could eat it. His second cup of coffee was savored as he relaxed in the bed before it was time for therapy. With a better breakfast for at least as long as Linda was working, Aaron had more than just therapy to look forward to. He at least had a meal that was going to give him the energy to do anything. 

Aaron flipped to the back cover of the book and traced the barely there dips on the cardboard. He'd wrote the words and then pulled the paper out and on one of his assisted trips to the bathroom he had flushed the paper. 

DON'T WANT TO LEAVE had been scribbled in Aaron's perfect handwriting across the page several times. Aaron felt ashamed at the feeling that the words gave him, but at the moment he didn't want to leave the hospital, not until he was sure that he was going to be able to defend himself. He felt safe in the hospital, and he wasn't going to do a damned thing that would stop himself from healing enough to where he could protect himself. 

In the back of the notebook, between the last two pages was a slip of paper that Aaron had read when he'd gone over his entire medical chart. Given how covered in blood he was and how he was dumped outside the hospital and his clothes had barely been on him, a rape kit had been done. There had been no evidence of penetration, but there had been evidence of semen on Aaron's pants, not his own. It had been rushed to the FBI as soon as it had been figured out that he was an agent and it was being run against the DNA they had of Foyet. Aaron never would have known if the kit hadn't been done. It was just another aspect of the profile that had been proven right, the act of stabbing someone got Foyet off. 

The fear of rape was something that Aaron had never worried about too much, not for himself. It was a fear that he had for JJ, Prentiss, Elle, and Garcia, the few times that the perky woman joined them in the field. There was little fear of it for the men on the team because when they had a rapist whose target was men, it was never men of their type. Gideon and Dave were either too old, Morgan too strong, or even Brannon was too hard to be able to take, even in an unfair fight. 

"Agent Hotchner, are you ready?" Carlos, his therapist of the day, asked as he stepped into Aaron's room. 

"I am."

* * *

Spencer Reid sighed as he finally logged out of his computer. What was supposed to be a two-hour information dig for a case had turned into a nightmare as soon as it was realized that it would take more than two hours and someone above Spencer's computer skills to hack. Once the hack was in, Spencer had been able to print out all of the information that he needed to go over. It had been pushing it to the wire of the start of the operation, but that was also why Spencer was leaving the office for the first time in three days. Changes of clothes in a go-bag was a rare off that Spencer only kept around for when a case took him away from DC, but it was rare that he had to use the clothes inside of the office. 

"Doc, you leaving us finally?" Martin shouted from the end of the hall. Spencer turned around to face him. Martin didn't usually shout so Spencer figured that he was afraid of Spencer being too lost in his head to hear him if had spoken normally.

"Yes, finally," Spencer signed as he moved towards the man. Martin had been in the unit long before Spencer and like him was good enough at a computer to do low-level work but never wanted to be one of the analysts that broke into things for the FBI. Martin and Spencer shared a love of paper trails and had become friends just weeks after Spencer had got there. Martin had never treated Spencer different for his inability to speak and the one thing that Martin understood more than anyone else in the Unit was that Spencer didn't need to be set up on dates. The rest of the Unit in the current incarnation was full of women who thought that Spencer needed to be with someone to be happy. Spencer had never disclosed his status as a soul marked to anyone outside of the HR personnel who had processed his paperwork and whoever had seen said paperwork to hire him into the unit that he was in. Spencer had never asked, and no one had ever offered. Spencer's mark was across his upper arm, in the fine cramped print of Spencer's own handwriting. The phrase had been forever burned into his brain from the moment he had been able to understand what it said, having an eidetic memory made it impossible to forget. 

“Good you need to get some sleep. Take tomorrow off so that we don’t get yelled at for keeping you here as a slave.”

Spencer smiled at Martin and nodded. Martin had learned enough sign language over the years to where Spencer didn't need to use his speech program on his tablet to talk, but still, sometimes, Spencer didn't feel the need to use it. He and Martin understood each other perfectly. Spencer had heard from two others in emails for him to take the next day as well, especially since it was already after nine in the morning. So just having that day off wasn't going to be much once Spencer actually got home. He needed food, and thankfully he had stocked up before his three-day stint at work. 

Martin waved when Spencer turned to face the doors of the elevator that would take him down to where his car was parked. Spencer smiled at one of the agents as he got on a floor down. Spencer didn't know him off hand, but the Hoover Building was a web of activity, and there were a lot of agents that just stopped by for things. The man looked really upset though. Spencer reached into his bag and grabbed a book. It wasn't a long trip, but he had learned that people were less likely to talk to him if he was busy in a book. Spencer was saved when the man answered his phone on the first ring.

"No, Baby Girl, the grilling is all done. I don't know what it's about. It's more in-depth than any meeting that I have ever had with the brass, and I've never done one in DC and not at Quantico. No, Hotch wasn't there."

Spencer stopped reading but kept his eyes on his book. Hotch. He knew that name. Agent Aaron Hotchner and Unit Chief of the A-Team of the BAU. He had worked with Jason Gideon and now David Rossi. Spencer went over the team members in his head and came onto Derek Morgan who had to be the man in the elevator with him. It wasn't just the fact that the man with him was black and Morgan was, it was also the accent, Chicago. The only other man on the team was Dean Brannon, and Brannon was from Texas with the accent to go with it. This man's accent was not Texan. 

"I don't know when he is coming back. It will probably be weeks though. He was hurt pretty bad."

The whole of the FBI in the DC area and probably for several states had heard about the attack that had left an agent injured by a killer. There were whispers of exactly who it was, but Spencer hadn't given credence to any of them until now. It had been Agent Hotchner. Spencer was grateful when the doors opened, and Morgan stepped out first. Spencer made a beeline for his exit and didn't look back at the other agent. Spencer filed the information away in a vault that would never be used unless something big came up. He didn't like gossip, even though a great many of the agents that worked around Spencer forgot that he wasn't deaf, just mute. Spencer knew more about his co-workers than they probably wanted him to know. He kept it all to himself. 

Spencer thought about what he was going to do after taking about a three-hour nap. If he slept more than that he wouldn't sleep at night, but he needed something to get him through the day. He needed to eat and then sleep. Driving home was mainly done by rote, Spencer only having to pay attention to the light traffic. It was after rush hour and traffic was light.. Pulling into his parking spot, Spencer sighed. He could already feel the exhaustion setting in. There was no one around in the underground parking for the building, so Spencer allowed himself a minute of just closing his eyes and relaxing back into his seat. 

Knowing that he would fall asleep, Spencer forced himself up and out of the car after a few minutes. He looked at the stairs and then the elevator, deciding that the elevator would be easier than the stairs that he normally took. Spencer settled into the car and into the corner after pressing the button for his floor. Spencer watched as the numbers grew and grew, thankful for the fact that no one was getting on. When the doors opened, Spencer sighed and pushed himself up from the wall. Keys were still in his hand, and he unlocked the deadbolt before the main lock. The alarm softly chirped at him, and Spencer put in his code to turn it off. The door was shut and then the deadbolt was thrown into place. He looked at the alarm before he rearmed it as well. He knew he would sleep better with it on. 

Spencer checked the answering machine and found a message from the financial office at Bennington to tell him that his check for books for the month for his mom had cleared. She had already picked her books that she wanted to buy, as well as the a new set of journals that she kept. If it was something important, usually Doctor Norman called him at the office, and they could talk over a secure video connection. So Spencer erased the message, glad that his mom was happy about her books. Next Spencer turned on his CD player to add some background noise to his apartment. It was soft jazz, and Spencer found himself closing his eyes and just listening for a few minutes. When he felt himself start to fall asleep on his feet, he forced his eyes open so that he could go to his bedroom and change. He had showered in the middle of the night at the office to help refresh himself. 

In a warm pair of sleep pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, Spencer settled onto his couch with a premade sandwich from his fridge. He had grabbed it on the day he had shopped and never got around to eating it before being called into work. Spencer was glad that he had picked off the lettuce the day that he had bought it, the bread was just to the edge of almost too soggy, but Spencer was hungry and didn't have the energy to even make one for himself even though he had the meat and cheese. Curiosity chirped and came running from wherever he had been sunning himself, settling onto Spencer's lap. The heavyweight of his just out of kittenhood Maine Coon cat was welcome after several long days at work. Spencer had made a food dispenser that fed him on a regular schedule and a water dish that kept the water full while he was gone, it was connected to the spot where a sprayer would go on the sink. 

Spencer was chewing his last bit of sandwich when there was a knock on his door. Spencer frowned and looked at the time, Curiosity jumped off of his lap and ran back towards the bedroom. His cat was nearly as antisocial as he was but unlike Spencer, he could hide under the bed when people visited. It wasn't too early, but he hoped it wasn't Mrs. Barnaby from two floors up wanting to drop off cookies for him because it was always an hour of talking when she did. Spencer dusted the crumbs off of his shirt as he stood up. He checked his mouth in the mirror on the way to the door. Spencer looked through the peephole and saw that it was a man, a man that Spencer couldn't make out. A quick press of the button that would allow him to open the door for two minutes before the alarm sent out an alert and Spencer was opening the door. 

David Rossi was standing on the other side of his door. Spencer frowned but waved the man inside. Rossi smiled at him before he nodded his thanks and entered the apartment. Spencer shut the door and checked the alarm, still active and ready. Spencer grabbed his tablet from his messenger bag, checking the battery as he did. It was charged enough for a conversation. 

" _Hello, Agent Rossi._ " Spencer had the tablet say to Rossi. Rossi's eyes widened in shock, not at the fact that Spencer hadn't said it but that the tablet had and in such good clear diction. " _I have a friend who created this application for me._ "

"A good friend that is." Rossi's smile widened, and from his inner pocket of his jacket, Spencer saw that he had pen and paper. "I figured that you would have the means to talk, but I wasn't sure that even knowing who I am if you would actually allow me into your home. I have met some deaf witnesses who didn't allow even cops into their homes. Is now a good time? I can come back later."

" _Now is as good of a time as any,_ " Spencer admitted. The fatigue was gone from having one of the idols within the FBI there in his apartment. Spencer waved him in towards the living room area. " _Would you like something to drink?_ "

"I would like a glass of water or bottle, whichever you have."

" _Please have a seat, and I'll get it for you._ " Spencer set down his tablet beside his chair that he liked to read in and moved towards the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water for Rossi and grabbed a glass of juice for himself. Spencer took a breath as he tried to settle down. He didn't need to make an idiot of himself like he had with a few other agents. Gideon had introduced him to Max Ryan once after the BAU had captured the Keystone Killer, and it hadn't gone well at all. Spencer took a sip of his juice before moving out into the living room again. Rossi was looking around the room, silently profiling him, Spencer bet. It was okay. Spencer knew that it was hard for them to turn it off. Spencer had been given a chance to join the BAU straight out of the Academy, but given his disability, Spencer didn't want to go into the Unit that way, even if it had made Gideon very upset that Spencer didn't do what he wanted. 

"Thank you," Rossi said as he leaned up to grab the bottle from Spencer. He set it down on the coffee table in front of him, on the coaster, telling Spencer that whatever he was there for, he wanted to make a good impression.

" _You are welcome, Agent Rossi. What can I do for you?_ " Spencer sat down in his chair, taking a sip of the juice before setting it down and leaning back in his chair. He crossed his left leg over his right and tried to settle down and now show his curiosity. 

"I don't know what gossip you have heard here in DC about what happened with the BAU over the past few days, but I'm going to assume nothing."

Spencer nodded. He wasn't sure exactly what Rossi wanted, so it was better to go with that he had heard nothing than for an important part to be left off with Rossi thinking that Spencer had heard it when he hadn't. 

"Our team was called in when a former Army man crashed his car into the guard shack at the border close to Detroit. We were called in because he admitted to killing several people. The case took us all over Detroit before we figured out that the Army man hadn't killed anyone and had, in fact, did it all to get the FBI there to investigate who had actually done it. We followed the trail to a farm in Canada. The investigation found eighty-nine pairs of shoes."

" _Just shoes? What kind of farm was it?_ " Spencer was more intrigued than he knew he should be. It was tipping his hand on that front. The look in Rossi's eyes told Spencer that he knew that he had him on the hook.

"Pig farm."

" _Omnivores. They eat everything._ "

"Yes. My entire team was worn out by the time it was all said and done. Mentally, emotionally, we were all just done. So we came home and got no rest before our Section Chief pulled us into another case." Rossi grabbed the bottle of water and sighed before taking a large drink of it. "It was a normal case that we really didn't need to be pulled into, but we can't refuse an order. When Agent Hotchner didn't respond, we assumed that his phone died or he was sleeping too deeply. It wasn't until the morning passed that one of the members of the team went to his apartment. It was found empty, a gunshot hole in the wall and blood on the floor. Hotch was found in a hospital where he had been dropped off. He had been stabbed nine times and dumped outside of the ER. There was no evidence of who did it except for the picture found in Hotch's wallet, threatening his wife and child. After the case that the team was working on was finally closed, the team descended on Hotch, getting his family into protection. The problem is that the man who attacked Hotch escaped, again."

" _Again?_ " Spencer asked. 

"George Foyet."

Spencer gasped. He knew that name. Foyet was on the top ten list for most wanted by the FBI non-terrorist list. There wasn't an agent that didn't know about him inside of the whole of the FBI. 

"The better details are all in the files that I have given you access to."

" _Me?_ " Spencer asked.

"This team is too damned close to it all. I went to the Deputy Assistant Director above our Section Chief, and he said he would ask around about someone to help outside of the BAU."

" _Why outside of the BAU?_ " Spencer asked. 

"George Foyet has beaten the BAU three times now. We take all of our profile off of what was compiled over a decade ago by Hotch. It was fresh eyes that linked Foyet and his attraction to younger women to the reason why the Reaper wasn't caught. We never looked at Foyet because of his injuries even though he was the only one to survive."

" _What can I do?_ " 

"I want you to be the new set of eyes in this case. I want you to go over it. Whenever you have the chance. It's not to be put above the rest of your work, but your boss said that you had a good eye and a mind for having multiple things going at once. I also broke down and called an old friend of ours."

" _Gideon has not talked to me since the day that he mailed me a letter when he left his gun and badge for you to find after calling you and hanging up on you. He detailed it all in his letter._ "

"Yes, he didn't talk to me long, but once I brought up Foyet with him and how Foyet was going after Hotch, he offered everything that he could on the profile, but he agreed that for his own health it would be good for him to not give too much. Before I could even ask about you and if he thought that you could handle it, he brought up you. Said that your eye would be good in helping and that it might be a good shoe in for you in the BAU. I read through your file, why you turned down Gideon on the fast track into the BAU. I've read through your yearly evaluations, the psych reports that are attached. You are courted by many units inside of the BAU. You didn't put in your name when Greenaway left, or when Gideon left. Do you not want into the BAU?"

Spencer held up a finger asking Rossi for time. There was a short answer, and a long answer to that question and Spencer didn't know which one he wanted to give to Rossi. The BAU didn't court or steal people like a lot of the other sections inside of the FBI did. The way that Gideon had put it that the BAU didn't have time to hunt people down to fill positions. They looked at those that applied. 

" _When Agent Greenaway and Gideon left, I had not put in the time needed to be considered as an agent just on my career alone. My IQ, abilities, and what Gideon cultivated in me are good yes but I don't want to get in just on that._ "

"What if I made you a deal?"

" _Deal?_ " Spencer asked. Deals were all well and good but deals were broken all of the time and there was nothing that would hold Rossi to his deal once he got what he wanted. However, Rossi was a good man and Spencer trusted that in him. 

"Yes. You help me find Foyet, and I'll make sure that it's why you get put into the BAU the next time that an opening happens."

" _Why me?_ " Spencer wanted to know that before he agreed to anything at all. 

"Because I agree with Gideon that your brain could help a lot of people. Show me that you deserve to be in the BAU by finding this monster and I'll make sure that more people are helped by getting you into where you can do the most good."

Spencer stared at Rossi. He could see how desperate the older man was. It was in every single line of his body. The attack on Agent Hotchner had rocked the team horribly, and it had shaken Rossi to his core. He didn't want to show it though. He didn't want to show that he was scared about what the attack on Agent Hotchner could mean. 

" _I'll help you for no other reason than I want George Foyet caught as well. He's attacked several agents now and killed many. He's threatened an innocent woman and child. The future can be discussed in the future. You said that I had access._ "

"I was told that you had a work laptop that you used on occasion for cases where you need to not be in the office. You'll find the files under your access there."

" _I do have the laptop here just in case I was needed to log in and do anything on the case that I just finished up on._ " 

"Good. I'll take my leave of you and let you get some rest. You look like you need it." 

" _Who do I report to for this? Do I go to my boss and he'll forward it all to you, or do I give it to you? Your Section Chief? Agent Hotchner?_ "

"For right now, I am the acting Unit Chief for the team. Even once Agent Hotchner is back from medical leave, I still want you to go to me with all of this. Our Section Chief is not aware of this, and the only reason I am telling you this is so that you don't worry, but I don't know what kind of sanctions our Section Chief is going to see in the time to come. She broke the BAU's SOP to send us on that second case so close to the first and it was done without clearance of those who should have been the ones to make that decision if the situation was dire enough, and it really wasn't that dire that a lower ranked team couldn't have taken it."

_"I see. Thank you, Agent Rossi, for telling me. I won't tell anyone."_

"I know you won't, Agent Reid. That much I got from your boss." Rossi stood up from his seat on the couch and handed over a card. Rossi's work number and personal cell were on it. Spencer glanced at the card but didn't take it. Rossi chuckled and slipped the card back into his pocket. Spencer stood up from his seat and walked towards the door. He cleared the alarm from going off at all. When Rossi got near the door, he stuck his hand out for a handshake.

" _I'm sorry, Agent Rossi. I don't shake hands._ "

"Germaphobe?"

" _No. I communicate by hands when I am out and about and through all of my childhood. My hands are the most important part of my body. I learned to protect them from a young age from bullies, and it has progressed to the point where I don't shake hands at all._ " Spencer wasn't going to apologize for that. His hands were his only means of communication that was unfailing, unlike technology.

"I understand. Keep me up to date with texts. I don't like to talk on the phone much, so texts are going to be easier for us both. I don't need daily updates just anything as you find it will be fine."

Spencer nodded and smiled. Rossi opened the door and stepped out, not looking back as he shut it. Spencer locked the door and reset the alarm a little shocked that Rossi had just left like he did. Spencer grabbed his work laptop from the case beside the door and moved back to his chair to start looking at the files. He could look at them for a few hours before he bunked down for the day. Curiosity slinked out of the bedroom at some point, becoming a brand of heat along Spencer's leg. 

The room was dark when Spencer pulled his head out of the files that he had printed out. The entirety of the Foyet file was spread all over Spencer's living room floor. There was a knock on Spencer's door, a very familiar knock from the delivery boy from his favorite take-out Chinese restaurant. Spencer frowned and picked up his phone checking over his texts. He had not texted his order into the woman who ran it. Spencer checked the peephole and found that it was the typical kid and he opened the door after turning off the alarm. Curiosity was sitting on the back of the couch. Spencer laughed to himself about the fact that the cat knew from the knock who it was. 

"Doctor S, hey man. So this weird guy came in and ordered your normal for you to be delivered right now. Said that his name was Rossi and that he figured that you would be working most of the day and this was a thanks from him," Kyle said as soon as he saw Spencer. He looked nervous, and Spencer gave him a smile. Spencer reached for the tablet but found that it wasn't right by the door. He frowned and looked around for it. Seeing it where he had left it after doing some research on it. Spencer grabbed it and nearly ran back to the door. 

" _Yes, Kyle. I am doing a favor for him for the Agency. It's okay._ "

"Good cause he has set up a service that he'll call when he wants another delivered for you. Mama J wanted to check with you that it was all right before she took the next order from him. She said he was a sweet talker and very suave. Mama J thought that he might have been trying to pull a fast one on her and using her to either seduce you or to stalk you."

" _Tell Mama J that Agent Rossi is highly venerated within the FBI and is a good agent. I am just doing him a big favor, and he tends to spend money on those that do favors for him. Rossi is not trying to seduce me. He's old enough to be my father. Thanks though for caring._ " Spencer dug into his pocket for a tip for Kyle.

"Don't worry about tip, Doctor S. Your friend Rossi left a good tip for me when he ordered the food. I'll tell Mama J not to curse him and to not refuse him if he calls."

Spencer gave Kyle a big smile and took the bag of food from him. Kyle waved and moved towards the stairs that led out of the building. Kyle always took the steps. Spencer looked into the bag and saw the fork on the top as well as the container of noodles for him to eat for breakfast the next day. Spencer put those right into the fridge before he turned the music playing over to the music from the play _La Boheme_ and he smiled. Spencer settled in on the coffee table, looking down at the files with his General Tso's Chicken in hand. He had a lot of work to do. 


	2. Later May 2009

Aaron didn't know what to expect when he opened the door to his apartment after so long out of it and what had happened the last time that he was in it. The chirp of the alarm was expected, so Aaron dealt with it, putting in the code that Dave had given him after it had been installed. Aaron stared at the keypad after the chirping stopped. It was simple but something that he had never thought that he needed before. He wasn't sure though that it would have done anything in stopping Foyet from attacking him. If Foyet had been unable to bypass it, the killer could have jumped him in the parking garage for the building. There was no way to stop a killer from going after their targets except for finding them before they do and the BAU and the Fugitive Retrieval Squad had not been able to find him.

The apartment looked the same. There was nothing out of place. Aaron knew that Prentiss had searched it and a CSU team had been through it. Aaron didn't like that someone had put it all backs to rights. He figured that it was Dave, but it was probably a joint effort of the whole team. The whole of the apartment had been recarpeted, which was a shock. The carpet was softer than it had been before and fluffier. It looked nearly the same as what had been inside before, just better.

Aaron sighed, walking to the couch to sit down and stare around his very changed apartment. It wasn't that the apartment was really that changed, it was more that he had changed. Aaron leaned his head back to stare up at the ceiling. He knew that he needed to do something, he needed to do anything really other than wallow in self-pity. Aaron had checked himself out, getting a taxi back to the apartment. Aaron knew that Dave would descend at some point because he had lied to the man and said that he would be getting out in the afternoon instead of the morning that he actually did. Aaron wanted to go home alone and face what being there would do. Aaron didn't want to have to think that he was performing for Dave and acting the way that the man thought that he should. He wanted to feel what he was feeling and not have to justify any of it. 

A growl from Aaron's stomach told him that he needed to eat something, but nothing was exciting that he knew was inside the apartment. Being in the hospital meant that anything fresh was long expired and Aaron wasn't sure if when the team had been taking care of his apartment, they had cleaned that out as well. Pushing himself up from the couch gently, Aaron made his way towards the kitchen. He opened up the freezer, knowing that he had a better chance of finding something to eat in there than anywhere else. He found that it was stocked with easy to prepare meals, including some microwavable breakfast sandwiches. Aaron grabbed two out and unwrapped them. 

While the sandwiches were cooking in the microwave, Aaron started a pot of coffee. He leaned against the counter and looked at the fridge. Jack's last drawing of Aaron catching a bad guy was there, stuck up by three magnets. It was not in the same place that it had been. Aaron frowned and moved to take it from the fridge. Slipping the magnets just far enough off the page to where he could lift the paper away, he nearly sobbed when he saw that the back of the page was clean. There was no Eye of Providence on it. Aaron figured that it had been checked by CSU or the team and just not put back in the same exact spot. 

The microwave beeped, and Aaron nearly jumped out of his skin. Aaron glared at the machine even though he knew that it wasn't its fault. Time was what he needed, time to get used to the fact that his home had been violated. He had been violated. Being in the hospital and dealing with it was one thing. Living in the place that it had happened was a whole other thing. Aaron popped open the microwave and pulled out the two sandwiches. He dropped them onto a plate and grabbed his coffee cup. Swapping the cup for the carafe, Aaron let the coffee pour into his mug from the machine while he filled it the rest of the way with coffee from the carafe. Aaron swapped the cup and the carafe again before tipping the sugar over into the cup, getting just enough in to cut the slightly bitter taste. Aaron sighed after taking the first sip, he had missed his coffee. Grabbing the plate, Aaron made his way back to the living room and the small table that he used to eat at. Aaron looked at it, realizing that it wasn't quite where he wanted it and set down his coffee on a stand to push the table where it needed to be. When Aaron was done, he grabbed his coffee again and settled in at the table. Aaron allowed his eyes to finally dart where they had wanted to since he walked in but hadn't been letting himself do it. Aaron could still see Foyet above him as Aaron laid there on the floor. The haze of the concussion he had received from fighting the man after the warning shot had made it impossible for Aaron to fight back with any real hope of winning. Aaron might have been bigger, but with the concussion making him nauseous and seeing double, winning had been impossible. 

Aaron's phone ringing just after he finished the first sandwich wasn't a shock. Nor was the fact that it was Dave.

"Yes, Dave?" Aaron asked. 

"I came to visit with you until you were released, only to find that you had checked yourself out early."

"I was more than okay to take a cab back to my place, Dave." 

"Stubborn assed man. Aaron, I know that you were capable, but you don't have to do everything on your own."

"Taking care of my apartment was more than enough, Dave. I don't need to be coddled." Aaron glared at his sandwich, imagining Dave's face on it. He sipped his coffee before taking the first bite of the sandwich. Aaron chewed while he organized his thoughts on what he wanted to say to the man. "I needed time to come to grips with coming home, alone, Dave. I need this."

"I'm calling later." Dave did not sound happy, but he would at least respect his wishes. Aaron hoped that the others would as well. He doubted it because as he had been downgraded at the hospital, Prentiss had been around more and more. Still, Aaron didn't want to deal with that, not yet at least. He had thought that Prentiss had moved on before now but seeing her so upset, he realized that she had hidden it well. Aaron had never noticed it until Dave had pointed it out over a year before. It was stupid that Aaron hadn't. Afterwards, he had seen it all the time, until his indifference had finally made her see that it was impossible. That wasn't something that Aaron would ever do, especially with someone who had a soulmate out there. Prentiss's soulmark was visible on the up and down stretch of her neck. It was hard to miss. Prentiss's infatuation with him was going to get them in trouble one day if Aaron didn't get it nipped in the bud. She had backed off but now was there all the time it seemed.

There was a knock on Aaron's door, and he sighed. He was pretty sure that it was Prentiss. Aaron drained his cup and stood up from the table. He set the coffee cup in the sink as well as his plate. He looked at the coffee and debated dumping it, but it was his special blend, so he just shut off the machine and dumped it into the carafe that he rarely used. It would make it so that the coffee smell would disappear. He didn't want her thinking that he wanted her to stay or that he would offer her a cup of it.

Turning off the alarm, Aaron opened his front door to see Prentiss there.

"I went to see you, and the nurse said you had checked out. I thought that Rossi said you were getting out in the afternoon?" Prentiss asked as she moved like she was going to move inside.

"I told Dave that because I wanted to have the day to myself. I don't need a babysitter." Aaron stayed in her way so that she couldn't enter the apartment. Prentiss looked at him with a hurt look on her face. Aaron knew that this was going to cause an issue, but with him not going to be at work for a few weeks more, it was better to do it now than then. 

"I don't think you need a babysitter but being home alone, it's not going to do you any good." 

Aaron wasn't sure if she was trying to act like a lover or a mother at that point. Aaron's own mother issues were long but not as long as his father issues. The deal with his very absent mother had been dealt with a long time before. Haley had made sure that he sought help for it all before she'd married him. He had hated her a little bit after she had forced the issue, but when a pregnancy scare came and went, Aaron had agreed. He agreed that he needed to have a handle on those issues before a child was brought into his life. 

"Prentiss, I don't need you. I don't need you to come into my life and wreck it. Your own issues are longer than mine, and I don't know what you need, but I am not it. I can't be your lover or your dad replacement. I can't be what you need, not now and not ever. You aren't going to make me feel better by forcing your presence on me. I deal with things in my own way and in my own time and you being here is disrupting that. I asked you at the hospital to stop visiting me, and you persisted, but instead of coming alone you always brought someone else with you. I am asking you now to not come back here unless you are expressly invited."

"Hotch, I-" 

Aaron glared at her, and she stopped.

"I know that you think you are in love with me. I thought you had got over it before now, but it seems that I was wrong. You need to evaluate yourself and figure out what you are really feeling." Aaron tried gentle, he had tried ignoring it, now he had to be mean and while it wasn't really contrary to himself, he did not like being mean to someone who he did care for. 

"My place on the team?" Prentiss asked, but she didn't look happy at all. Aaron didn't really care because he had shown her his own disinterest and she still continued. 

"Depends on what happens when I come back to the team after my medical leave. If things go back to what they were before you started to show yourself to be in love with me, we will be fine. You are a valuable part of this team, and you have proven yourself time and again. I don't want to lose you as a member or as a friend." 

Prentiss said nothing, she looked gutted though. She nodded and turned away from Aaron's door and moved towards the stairs. Aaron watched her leave, hating the look on her face but knowing that it was needed. Aaron shut the door and locked it. He looked at the alarm and sighed as he set it again. Aaron briefly thought about changing it, but he decided to keep it the same for now. With his wounds, Aaron knew that anything could happen and he would rather allow Dave to enter with as little issue as possible. Dave was the only one with the code though. The company had installed it and the team had been in and out after that and then before Aaron had come home, Dave had changed it to the code that it was now. 

Aaron moved to the bookshelf in the corner, smiling as he saw that his CDs were still in the order that he had them. He grabbed The White Album and slipped it into his CD player. His record player was in the bedroom along with his records, but he didn't want to turn it up that loud to hear that, and he didn't want to go into the bedroom quite yet. Aaron set the CD on repeat and moved to the kitchen. His chest and stomach were starting to ache, and he knew that he needed to set out his pills. Dave had grabbed him a pill holder that had four times a day slots as well as one to carry with him throughout the day. Once he was cleared to go back to work, Aaron would take his pills with him in bottles. State by state regulation on prescription pills just made it hard to remember, so the team generally took the entire bottle with them. Aaron was on a careful regimen of pills, and it was close to time for him to take his next dose of pain medicine as well as the muscle relaxers. It was a low dose of those and Aaron knew that it was to help keep his abdomen softer than it usually was so that he wouldn't hurt himself on accident by moving too quickly. 

The music filled the apartment, and for Aaron it made him feel like he wasn't alone. He felt calmer as he dosed out his pills for the week, double and even triple checking the dosages and such before putting each of them away. Aaron usually wouldn't leave the pills out in the kitchen because of Jack, but since Jack was in hiding with Haley somewhere inside of the United States, there was no reason to put the pills on the high shelf in Aaron's bathroom. Instead, Aaron left them on the counter as most of his pills had to be taken with food of some kind. Aaron knew that he needed to pick up snacks, Dave had stocked him well with food for meals, but some of his pills were necessary to be taken at odd intervals so staging them around meals was hard to do, but a snack would be easy to eat with the pills. The collection of pills was vast, and Aaron just looked at them. Most of them had side effects, and Aaron was going to keep checking for those. The main side effect was with libido, but Aaron hadn't really had much of one since the divorce. He jerked off when he felt like it, so not doing it at the moment was a good thing. He didn't want to hurt himself more. 

Piled on the desk in the office just off the living room was all of Aaron's mail. Aaron looked at the piles and smiled. Someone had sorted it. It was either Garcia or JJ, Aaron figured as it was something that Aaron couldn't see Morgan or Dave doing, or Prentiss really. Aaron found one pile was junk mail and took little time at all for him to go through, the next collection was questionable, most of it went into the trash. There was personal and bills left. Aaron's bills were all automatically taken out due to the nature of the job so Aaron wasn't too worried about them but he would check over the statements for weird overages and such. The personal was small, but Aaron wasn't shocked about that. He didn't get much mail from friends and other than an occasional "Hey I'm alive" letter from Sean, nothing from family. Aaron didn't see anything that he wanted to deal with, so he shoved those into the top drawer of his desk. 

Aaron was just finishing up going over all of his bills, balanced against his bank account when his phone rang. Aaron, tired from doing a little too much looked at the phone. He knew the number by heart, having called it for years while he and Haley were dating. Aaron looked at the answering machine that was on the stand and saw that he had seventeen messages waiting on him. Aaron wondered how many were from Roy Brooks.

"Hotchner," Aaron said as he picked up the phone. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Roy, but he would rather get it over than have the man call back over the course of the day. 

"So you finally decided to talk to me."

"I've just gotten home."

"So you just went on with life, huh. She's hiding because of you, and you are just lollygagging through life."

"Roy, what did Haley tell you?"

"You were injured after a case, and one of those killers you hunt is hunting you."

"I was stabbed nine times and have been in the hospital since the day that Haley and Jack went into Witness Protection. I promise you that my team and I are doing everything that we can to find this man so that Haley can come back."

Roy was silent on the other end of the phone and Aaron for a few seconds was shocked. He'd never known the man to be quiet. He always had something to say about Aaron. Those words had turned sour when Aaron had left the prosecutor's office and had gone to the FBI. Haley took after her father way too much, as Aaron was finding out post-divorce. Aaron waited for Roy to say anything, anything at all. He wholeheartedly agreed that this was all his fault, but there wasn't a thing that he could do about it. The people that the BAU went after rarely ever escaped to come back and hurt the team but it had happened, but this had been a blindside. Which Aaron knew he should have seen coming, after Frank Breitkopf, after Gideon. Aaron closed his eyes, and he waited. 

The click was a shock when it happened a few seconds later. Aaron pulled the cordless phone back from his ear and looked at the phone. Roy had hung up on him. Aaron wasn't going to call him back. Instead, he would listen to the messages on his machine and see what was going on with those before he even thought about actually calling Roy. 

Fifteen of the seventeen calls were from Roy, mainly wanting to talk to him and to see what kind of threat Roy and his wife, as well as Jessica the youngest of the Brooks children, were under. Aaron didn't want to call him back, so he started to write a letter out, detailing everything. When he was done, Aaron finally listened to the last two messages. Both were from the company that managed the apartment building, telling him about the upgrades being done to the place after his attack. There was also talk about a letter. Aaron frowned and moved back into the office to find the letter. He found it stuck to the back of one of the personal letters and opened it. 

Aaron was shocked at the content. It detailed the investigation into why the cops had not been called after a middle of the night gunshot went off. It was from a .44, there was no way that Aaron's two neighbors on either side of him or the two across the hall hadn't heard it. It wasn't a high crime area and the fact that no one had reported it was odd. Aaron was glad that something was being done about it. Aaron wasn't sure if the company was doing it because they were genuinely concerned or if something had happened that was causing them to do it by force. He knew that it wasn't a secret, the FBI crawling all over the place was hard to hide. It wouldn't take long at all for the building to have heard what happened. 

Putting the letter on top of his bills, Aaron left the office. He needed a nap. His pain medication was making him sleepy, and he knew that his body needed rest. Aaron moved to his bedroom and settled on top of the bed, grabbing a throw and tossing it over his body. He was too sleepy to even want to try and untuck the covers on the bed to crawl in. It didn't take long for sleep to claim him.

* * *

Spencer loved a good paper trail. It was why he was an analyst for the FBI. His paper trail varied depending on what he was doing. Spencer was loaned out to whatever unit wanted him. Being on loan of sorts to the BAU was strange but not new. It was the first time that the BAU had ever asked for outside help within the FBI when it wasn't terrorism or cases against children and such. 

"Agent Reid," a voice called out, and Spencer turned his head up from his computer screen to look at the woman standing there. She was frowning at him like he had done something wrong and Spencer didn't know who she was. 

Spencer closed the file that he was working on for a unit in New York and wiped his hands on his pants before starting to sign. "How may I help you?"

The woman frowned at Spencer, and the frown turned into a glare when Spencer repeated the signs. The hint of anger in her eyes really pissed off Spencer. 

"No one told me you were deaf." The woman stepped closer to Spencer's desk, and he was glad that it was between them. "I need you to tell me why you were given access to a file that you shouldn't have access to," the woman said very slowly. Spencer narrowed his eyes at her. 

"I don't know who you are but I am not deaf, and you don't need to speak to me like I am stupid." Spencer signed the words hard at her, she wouldn't understand what it meant but it made him feel better.

"I don't understand a thing you are doing." The woman stepped back and leaned out of the doorway. "Is there anyone here who can help me understand this deaf man?"

Spencer heard the scrape of a chair from the office across from him and knew that it was Clarence. The man disappeared down the hall towards Martin's office. However, a minute later it wasn't Martin that entered the office. It was a signer that Spencer knew from other cases and various things. Spencer nodded at her. 

"Make him understand what I want," the woman all but demanded to the new person. 

"Agent Reid can understand you just fine, Section Chief Strauss," Melinda said with a grim smile at Spencer that Strauss couldn't see. Spencer was shocked that it was a Section Chief that was acting like she was. "He is mute, he can't speak with his voice." 

"Oh, why didn't he make me aware of that?" Strauss asked. 

"Most agents who seek out Agent Reid know of his inability to speak with his voice. And if they don't when Agent Reid starts to sign many understand that he is using Sign Language and then try and find out if he is deaf or mute. Then they ask him to write down his answers instead of yelling to the whole of the office that someone is needed to make you understand him." Melinda did not sound happy at all and Spencer would gladly let her deal with Strauss. Spencer knew enough to stay out of her reach as much as possible. The rumors that were abounding, even in Spencer's area of the FBI buildings were massive. 

Spencer signed at Melinda that Strauss was asking him questions that he can't answer because she wasn't explaining herself enough to be understood by anyone. 

"Agent Reid would like to know what you need him for, Section Chief Strauss." 

"I was doing some checking on files, and I found that Agent Reid has access to a file that I did not give him access to. Then I find that the clearance was granted by the Director."

"And you aren't asking him why I was given access because?" Spencer quirked an eyebrow as he moved his hands.

Melinda verbalized what Spencer said. 

"I am asking you, Agent Reid." Strauss looked like she was ready to blow up at Spencer but was only not because there was someone else there.

"And you will have to ask him. I do not answer to you and was told to not discuss with anyone except who gave me the case file to work on." Spencer's signing was taking on the hard edge again and he could tell that Melinda was seeing it. Spencer didn't even want to bring up that it was Rossi. Spencer knew the rumors about Rossi and Strauss from before Rossi had retired, the first time. That was something that Spencer didn't want to get into. He hadn't been aware that the Director was who had given him access though. 

Melinda relayed the words again, and Strauss looked at Spencer like she wanted to kill him. 

"I demand that you tell me." Strauss was beginning to sound like a petulant child.

"Section Chief Strauss, I have to say that Agent Reid is correct, you need to go through the Director, and I will make sure that it's known that you are trying to make an agent tell you classified information," Melinda said her tone icy enough to give shivers to an eskimo.

"Who are you to threaten me?" Strauss asked. 

"It's not a threat, it's a promise. You really do not know who I am?" 

"No."

"Melinda Waters, Section Chief of White Collar Crimes. I was down here visiting, and I have to say that I am happy that I was. So please leave." Melinda glared Strauss down until she left. When she was gone, Melinda shut the door and turned to Spencer. "So why did you not use your app?"

"I didn't want to give up my ace in the hole. As soon as she opened her mouth, I knew who she was. I wasn't aware you were here. I was hoping it would be Martin who came in. However, I am glad it was you." Spencer liked signing with Melinda, she never made him feel like he was less of anything for not being able to speak.

"Because I don't take any shit from other Section Chiefs that try and lord over other agents that are not theirs to control. I know you have a steel spine. Use it."

"I do for those that matter. Strauss doesn't matter. She's being heavily looked into for mismanagement of the BAU. The death of that Doctor is being pinned on her for forcing Agent Hotchner's team into working a case that they should not have been so close to another without proper rest. It's the talk of this division."

Melinda looked at him with a strange look. She sighed and lifted her hands. "And you know this how? I thought you didn't like gossip."

"Agent Rossi was the one who wanted my help, I wasn't aware that he wasn't the one who ultimately gave me access."

"You are hunting Foyet aren't you?" Melinda looked shocked. Spencer shrugged.

"Hunt is not the word that I would use. I'm trying to see if I can find something that the BAU missed or at least some new insight. I'm still playing catch up on the behavior and all of the case files."

"If you need me for anything, just let me know. I'll gladly play interpreter as my cases, and job allow if you have other assholes that bother you. When is your next lecture?" 

" _Two days,_ " Spencer typed out on his computer, finally bringing up the program that allowed him to talk with others. 

"Send me an invite so I can go if I can. I love hearing you lecture on language."

Spencer smiled at Melinda, blushing as he did. She was old enough to be his mother, but she was sweet. She had been brought in on a lot of his cases, partially because she was one of the few in the Bureau who understood what Spencer said, sometimes very quickly with his hands. Her parents had been deaf, so she had been raised in the culture. There was a small group of them inside the FBI that went out for drinks or meals on occasion. Mama J allowed them to take over a whole secluded room that they could talk, verbally or with hands and not have every single eye in the place on them, especially for the deaf who chose to verbally speak. Mama J even had a cook who was deaf, and when they all ate there as a group, he was the one that waited on them. Erik was a wonderful young man who worked at Mama J's as his schooling allowed. 

" _I'll send you an email with the time._ " 

Spencer looked back at his computer and opened up his files that he had been working on for several units within the FBI. Melinda wandered away, and Spencer waited for about twenty minutes before he left his office and moved to Martin's. He stood there, looking at him until the man finally looked up. Spencer cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Strauss called down to see if you were at work today and I kind of figured that she would be coming down and I wanted back up and knew that Melinda wouldn't let anyone walk all over you. There are a few units that are calling Strauss harpy lady. Hell, there was a memo in one that said that no one should touch her with someone else's severed limb."

Spencer raised a hand up and covered his mouth, one of the few outward signs that he did that mimicked laughing since he couldn't make the sounds. Martin smiled back.

"I've got your back, remember."

Spencer gave him a thumbs up and nodded before he went back towards his office. He pushed himself into his work, keeping his email tab open. He checked it often. There was nothing that came up other than usual emails. Spencer was half expecting to be called into his Section Chief's office and raked over the coals in a mock fashion. He knew that he would be supported in what he had done, especially with another Section Chief backing him up. 

Five came and went and so did six before Spencer logged off for the day. The sun was still bright outside when Spencer stepped out of the building. He could see some of the night shift heading inside, but Spencer ignored most of them. He didn't know them, and he didn't really care to meet them. 

There was a coffee shop that Spencer loved that was just a five-minute walk from his apartment building. Spencer drove to the building and then walked towards the place. He had a new book that had arrived at work for him the day before, but he'd spent the evening chatting with a few friends from Caltech, so he hadn't read it. Spencer settled into the corner seat, his back to the walls. The shop was nice because it had a digital ordering system for those who sat at specific tables. Spencer tapped in his order for coffee, dinner would come later. 

Fifteen minutes later, a waitress set down his coffee and Spencer smiled at her. She left without a word, he was a regular, so they knew him well. When Spencer read about a quarter of the book, he placed his dinner order. Spencer watched the people move around the coffee shop while he waited for his food. 

At the table next to him, Spencer watched a woman as she read a book and made notes in a notebook. Spencer looked around the room before going back to her at least every few minutes before he decided to just watch her. She never noticed his casual observance of her, much less his more intense focus. She had a glass of iced tea that the waitress refilled twice while Spencer was watching her. 

Finally, when Spencer's food was delivered, the woman looked at him. Spencer smiled at her, and she smiled back before going back to her book. Spencer propped his book open again and started to read as he ate. Spencer lost himself in the world of myth and magic, not realizing that the woman had taken a spot across from him at the table until he had finished eating. 

"Hello," the woman said with a smile on her face. 

Spencer waved at her and held up a finger for her to wait. She frowned at him as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and he queued up the talking app. He made sure the volume was down at the appropriate setting for the venue they were in. 

" _Hello, my name is Spencer. What's yours?_ "

"Oh." The woman looked startled. She looked down at her hands for a few seconds before looking back up at him. "My name is Andrea. I've noticed you looking at me."

" _I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I was enthralled by how much you were able to concentrate here. So you are a teacher? Of literature?_ "

"How did you know that?"

" _My mother was a professor of literature at the University of Nevada. I recognized the same mannerisms when a new textbook came out._ "

"Oh, is that what you were doing, thinking of her?"

" _No, it's what drew me to look at you, but your own mannerisms drew me the rest of the way in._ "

"I see. So you know what I do for a living, what do you do?"

" _I'm an analyst for the FBI. I mainly follow intricate paper trails for all manner of divisions._ " Spencer had learned long before to make sure that people knew that he didn't have the glamorous lifestyle that many romanticized an FBI agent having. It saved a letdown from happening. " _I like paper trails and hunting out the misinformation and the tricks used by the bad guys._ "

"Sounds like breaking down a novel to understand every single aspect of it." Andrea leaned forward, seemingly entranced. 

" _It can be like that sometimes._ " 

"So, I'm all done with my work for the evening and you are done with your dinner. What do you say about getting some ice cream and walking around the park?"

" _I won't be able to talk much while eating the ice cream._ "

"That's okay. I can always hold your ice cream to allow you to talk."

Spencer stared at Andrea for a few seconds. He was eighty-nine and a half percent sure that she wanted this to be a date. Spencer hadn't had a date with a typical person in years. His last three relationships had been inside of the deaf community, and none of them had ended well. He lived on the edge of the community, and many felt that he shouldn't be a part of it. 

" _Do you know sign language_?"

"No."

Spencer looked at her, he could see the interest in her eyes. Spencer knew that his looks attracted people to him. Usually, the muteness turned them off of him. Or once he started to talk, his scientific nature put them off. So far, Andrea wasn't put off by him. She was an academic, so maybe for once, he'd have a chance. Of course, the last academic that Spencer had dated had been put off by the fact that he worked for the FBI. He had not understood Spencer's want of finding bad guys. 

" _I can talk pretty quickly with my speech app. Everything should be good._ "

Andrea smiled at Spencer and she had such a soft look on her face, Spencer wanted to reach out and touch her face. He didn't know if she would like it though so Spencer dropped his free hand to his lap, setting the phone down on the table. 

"Are you ready to go now?" Andrea asked.

" _Yes_."

* * *

Spencer gave a small wave to Melinda as she exited the back of the lecture hall. The hall had been packed and only seats saved had allowed her and James Blake to be able to listen and not have to stand, of which many students were doing. Alex Blake had sat on the side smiling as Spencer had lectured on the development of various sign languages the world over and even the difference in dialects between close areas in America. Every year when Spencer gave this lecture, the rooms were packed. Melinda had seen him give it twice before, but she always enjoyed it. 

The students actually in the class and in Alec's other classes were given first spots in the hall, and after that, anyone else was allowed in. Spencer scanned the room as the students who just wanted to listen to the lecture and not talk to him filed out. The rest were staying seated until Alex called them forward, it looked like about fifteen were going to stay and talk to him afterward. 

David Rossi in the back of the hall shocked Spencer. The man was seated and writing in a notebook but didn't seem like he was going to get up. Spencer pushed the thought of the man out of his head as Alex waved the students up. It was a bum rush to the front as they all jockeyed for a position close to him at the desk. Alex's lecture laptop had the speech program loaded. Spencer had spent two hours updating it to the newest word database while he and Alex prepared. Spencer had pre-programed his lecture, allowing for pausing and question answering during it. Raven had indeed created a wonderful program for him, and he thanked her for it every day. 

"Doctor Reid," the first student asked, his voice sounding like he was so excited that he might just wet himself. There were no classes scheduled in the hall after and while Alex had a class in a little over an hour, Spencer knew that he would be there until he got tired of answering questions or the kids got tired of asking. The longest had been Spencer and a freshman named Silva talking for five hours, it had changed from the hall to a campus coffee shop after an hour but still. The boy had been intrigued by the speech software and how Raven programmed it.

Three hours later, Spencer was watching as the kids finally left. Alex had come back after her other class, and it was only then that Spencer realized that Rossi was still there in the back of the room. He followed Alex up to where Spencer was still sitting on the desk. The laptop was turned to where he could type on it, but Spencer hated sitting behind the desk with the kid's all gathered around. If he had wanted that, he would have become a teacher. 

"You know, right up until you sat down on the desk with your legs crossed, I truly thought that you would be a boring talker. You sat on the desk for the first hour of your lecture and then moved around after that, then got back onto the desk to talk to the kids. Your hands, even when not signing are very active. I have never seen someone lecture the way that you do and that is not adding in the speech program. I can see why you fill a hall."

" _Agent Rossi, why did you come here today_?"

"I wanted to see you, and hear you lecture. I heard about it from Melinda Warren. I heard that she had been to almost all of your lectures for this class. It made me wonder what was so good about it. I am glad that I came and that a case didn't pop up."

" _So you didn't come to check up on me_?" Spencer asked. 

"Check up on you?" Alex asked. She looked at Rossi, her eye very critical. "Why would you need to check up on him, Rossi?" 

"Thanks, kid. It's not what you think. I am getting his help on a case. And no, Reid, I am not checking up on you. I was intrigued to see how you did this. It helps a lot on our Quid Pro Quo. Now, I'll take my leave of the both of you and let you two have fun." Rossi held out his hand for Alex to shake. Spencer was watching her, and he realized that Rossi did something to her. Rossi gave Spencer a wave before he left. Alex waited until Rossi was gone before turning to Spencer.

"What case are you helping him on and is it legal?"

" _It was approved through the proper channels, and I can't talk to you about it because it's active and ongoing_. _"_

Alex just stared at Spencer, her eyes even more critical. Spencer held her gaze. The sound of the doors opening had Alex looking away to see James, her husband entering.

"Time for dinner?" James was smiling as he said it, oblivious to the tension.

" _Yes_ ," Spencer said. 

"You aren't going out into the field right?"

Spencer just glared at her,.

"Good. I know that you were cleared for going on cases as long as you didn't go on takedowns and only went to fully clear crime scenes but Rossi is a cowboy, and I would worry."

" _It is just analysis. I promise._ "

"Something wrong?"

"No," Alex answered when James asked. She smiled at him, and James reached out to pull her into a kiss. Spencer started to clean up the desk before he slid off of it. He shut down the laptop and started to pack it up. Next was all of his files into his bag. James took Alex's laptop bag and her things before grabbing Spencer's briefcase. James knew not to touch the messenger bag. 

"Good. So, I have reservations at the new Indian place that you have been raving at. If we don't leave now, we won't make it."

Spencer nodded, and James led them out of the lecture hall. Spencer dug his phone out of his pocket to tlet Raven know that he would need a software update soon. He had a large file of new words that he needed. Most of the words had to do with George Foyet and the names of the agents on Rossi's team. There were a few other words that were from books and TV shows. Raven texted back pretty quickly that she would be able to do it within two days of getting the file. Spencer was happy with that. He wasn't meeting Rossi until the middle of the next week to go over what Spencer had figured out so far. 


	3. June 2009

Aaron woke up, fearing to move for the first time. His stomach was mostly healed on the outside, but inside, he was sore still, especially after a night of not moving. His muscles protested the movement, but Aaron made himself move. It got better after but as Aaron stopped while he was sitting up in bed, his body broke out into a thin sweat. It was standard, it was routine. Aaron's morning routine was twice as long as it used to be but when he had got out of the hospital it had been three times as long. He was getting better. Every day it hurt less and less, and he was able to do more. He was not cleared to get back into running his regular route around the park near the apartment building but his physical therapist did have him run a mile on the treadmill at the facility where he went every day for therapy. A lot of it was breathing oriented, hence why he did it every day. 

The therapy was grueling, breathing and holding it in or out depending on what the sadist that was masquerading as a physical therapist wanted. Aaron was attempting to figure out what kind of horrible thing had happened to make Carl Lamb a sadist that liked to make other people hurt themselves. Aaron knew that it was helping, but the man's smile never broke, he was always smiling, and Aaron wanted to wipe that smile off of his face by profiling him back to childhood and wrecking his brain. However, every single day when he was done, and he didn't hurt as much or wasn't as tired, Aaron changed his mind. 

Aaron slid over to the side of the bed and breathed deep, in and out seven times before he stood up. The pain flared a little as his muscles moved in new ways. Aaron shuffled to the bathroom, waiting for the sweat to start to go away from his skin before he stripped naked to shower. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. There was not a lot that could be done for the scars, Garcia had picked up a jar of cream for him that was supposed to lessen the scars, and it did seem to be helping, but anyone that he had sex with was going to see them. Of course, sex with anyone was a long way off as Aaron wasn't even attempting to date. His work took up too much of his time and finding someone who would understand his job, and the time it took him being away was difficult at best. 

Turning on the water, Aaron stood stared at the falling drops. He had been allowed to renovate the bathroom to his liking after a flood while he was gone on a case dropped the bathroom above into his. He had a contractor put in a shower and a bathtub that was sinful in its comfort. The shower had a system where it could simulate rainfall and Aaron used it more than anything else. He stepped out from under it to wash instead of turning it off because the sound of the falling water soothed him. When the water was the perfect temperature, Aaron stepped under it, bracing his right hand on the wall and just letting the water fall all over him. 

Aaron's mind went to college and the one break that he and Haley had during that time. Aaron's roommate Jake had spent days trying to cheer him up, and it had ended up with the two of them at a bar. The waitress serving them had taken both of their sets of keys and said when they were sober, they could pick the keys up. What had followed was a drunken stumbling back to their apartment just off campus. Halfway home it started to rain. In the alley outside of the side door of the complex, Jake pushed Aaron into the wall. Aaron still couldn't remember what Jake had been saying, only that they were both laughing when Jake pressed his lips into Aaron's. Aaron had been shocked, but he had kissed Jake back. Aaron had accepted he liked both men and women before he had left junior high. Meeting Haley had kept him from exploring that side of himself. 

With the rain falling down all around them, Aaron had allowed Jake to pressed him into the slick wall and take what he wanted. The kisses became deeper the longer they touched until Jake's hand covered Aaron's hard cock, trapped in his pants. Aaron remembered the sound of his moan as he started to thrust into that hand. Jake wasted no time in releasing both of their cocks, wrapping his hand around both and jerking them off. 

Aaron pushed himself from the memory, Jake was long gone from his life, not surviving Haley and her influence. Aaron reached to grab the shampoo but froze when he realized that he was hard. The feeling was strange after so long of not feeling it. Aaron reached down and dragged his finger up from root to head and back down. He watched his cock jerk at the attention. Aaron grabbed his conditioner and drizzled some on his cock, shielding it from the water by leaning forward just a little more. He was fully braced on the all and groaned as he wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking lightly. Aaron just enjoyed the sensation of stroking his cock, keeping himself hard but not racing towards the end. He stroked up and down, watching his cock head appear and disappear. 

An image popped into his head of the younger man he had seen in the recruitment seminar at Georgetown. Aaron had been pretty sure that the younger man was in a post-graduate degree, but before Aaron had been able to talk to him, he had left. He had watched Aaron with such intensity that Aaron had been half hard before he had exited the lecture hall. No one had known who he was so Aaron hadn't been able to figure out. The younger man was beautiful and his face so expressive. Aaron didn't usually allow himself fantasies, but the younger man was a stranger who he would never see again. Aaron imagined the younger man on his knees in the shower. His hand stroking up and down Aaron's cock, getting him nice and hard, teasing Aaron with little licks at the head of his cock. Catching the pre-seminal fluid that appeared on nearly every single stroke of hand on his cock. Aaron closed his eyes and allowed the full image to take over his brain. He imagined the mouth wrapping around the head of his cock, teasing him even more before the younger man took the cock farther inside of his mouth. 

Fantasy didn't live up to reality, Aaron knew that, but he had learned how to make his fantasies pretty damned good. He had been self-servicing since long before Haley had left him. He could almost feel the hot mouth wrapped around his cock. The heat, the suction, even the bump of his cock head at the back of the younger man's mouth. Aaron's hand sped up on his cock as he imagined pushing his cock just a little farther back, testing the young man's gag reflex. He wanted him to have none, driving all the way back inside of him, feeling the throat flex around his cock. Aaron panted as he finally came, seeing the younger man swallowing his release. Aaron leaned up and watched as his release washed down the drain. He felt better than he had in awhile, more himself, despite everything. 

The reawakening of Aaron's sexual side wasn't just a show that he was a man, but it was the fact that he was healing. His body was healing, and his mind was coming to terms with what had happened to him. The closer Aaron got to going back to work, the more that he was being pushed into talking to a psychologist. This was going to be a good step in getting back to work. Aaron felt confident in making the appointment soon. Just in case he needed to go back for another session before he was allowed back to work. 

Aaron finished his shower and stood under the water, looking down at the scars again. He hated the scars. It was easy to hide the faded scars on his back, Haley had never commented on them, so he was pretty sure that she didn't know that they were there. Only a single fellow cadet had seen them when Aaron had gone through the academy. Jake had traced them the only time that they had even done penetrative sex with Aaron receiving. Jake had never asked about them. These scars though would be hard to hide during sex unless he made sure to never take his shirt off during it. Theoretically, it would be easy, especially with one night stands, fumblings in the dark where the release was the goal. However, Aaron knew that didn’t want a string of temporary lovers, he wanted stability not a revolving door of sex partners who only wanted him for the high of release that he could give them. Which meant talking about the scars. Most people didn't look at stabbing like the BAU did, they didn't see the sexual side of it. Which meant admitting a lot more than he wanted to. 

Washing and drying off took little time. Aaron was moving to the kitchen to get the coffee started and to make sure that he ate something with the low dose of pills that he was still on. His physical therapist would be there soon and after that a quiet apartment. That was the biggest adjustment that Aaron was having. When he was off work as much as he was, Jack was usually over. Haley at least didn't fight him on getting Jack when he really wanted the boy. 

The chirp of Aaron's phone told him that someone had texted him. He grabbed it from the counter where he had absentmindedly set it to see Dave's number at the top of the screen. Dave was in the area, having taken the day off of work to do book errands and he was lunch partnerless and wanted to know if Aaron wanted to join him. Aaron texted back that he would gladly do that. He even gave Dave the address of the little cafe that Aaron had been walking to for at least a snack during the day as he wasn't allowed to run alone. Aaron had a set amount of distance he had to walk in a day to make sure that his diaphragm wasn't lapsing. 

Aaron braced himself for the day, not knowing why Dave wanted to meet to eat. If Dave were anxious, he would invade Aaron's privacy, knowing that he would get a better look at how Aaron was without the public persona that Aaron put on firmly in place. Still, getting out and talking with a human who wasn't part of his medical team was something that Aaron was looking forward to if only to chase the ghosts out of his head that taunted him with his aloneness.

Fresh from a second shower because of his sadistic therapist, Aaron was leaving his apartment building. He wanted to carry at least his backup gun but he wasn't cleared to do so yet and while he was one for bucking the rules when needed, doing so with his untested mindset to a stressful situation was asking for someone to get hurt. 

The cafe was a few blocks away, enough of a distance that Aaron walking quickly covered it in no time but also it allowed him to test how fast he could go before his wounds would start to protest. He was barely able to run more than a few minutes at a low speed before his breath would stop him from being able to do anything but stand in one place and pant. It was better than the few steps he'd been able to do just weeks before. 

"Agent Hotchner," the new front door guard said as Aaron was moving away from the building. Aaron realized that it had to be shift change time. Aaron couldn't remember the guard's name, so he just nodded back at him. Aaron looked at the area ahead, seeing everyone and hearing everything. This was good for him. Lunchtime was one of the busiest times on the streets of DC, everyone going to and from work to get their midday meal. Aaron gritted his teeth as people jostled him. He took a deep breath as a reminder that it was good for him to be out and about. He was handling his PTSD better alone, but he knew that he had it. He wasn't going to allow himself to become Gideon though. 

Dave was already seated at a table with what looked like a pot of tea in front of him. Two cups were sitting on either side of the pot. Aaron frowned at him as he sat down.

"There's that grim face that I have missed." Dave reached out for the cup that was in front of Aaron and Aaron realized that it had been used. A waitress came and took the pot as well as the two cups away from the table and set down a glass of what looked like pop in front of Dave and a glass of iced tea in front of Aaron. "I've already ordered for both of us. Don't worry, I ordered sweet tea for you."

"And here I thought that you were only meeting with me today." Aaron waved at the back of the leaving waitress. "Who did you have here today, the fourth Mrs. Rossi?"

"Oh, I don't know that he would like being called that. Just someone that wanted a few moments picking my brain that is all. I treated him to some tea while we talked."

"How long have you been here?" Aaron asked as he unrolled his silverware and draped his napkin over his lap, crossing his legs in the process. He leaned back in his seat and just looked at Dave.

"I have my laptop with me. I needed some time to clear my head and with the team on day three of in-house paperwork, I decided that today was a perfect day to write up stories about killers instead of case reports about them.”

"How is Brannon doing post the shooting of the Doctor in McLean?"

"I don't think that he is going to last long. I've already been looking for replacements."

"Is the team going to hell right now?"

"No, but Brannon isn't finding what he needs. He won't talk to anyone, and he's dodging the psychiatrist. We can't make him talk. The only thing that Morgan and I can do at the moment is keep him from takedowns. He's doing fine as long as he has a purpose. We've been sticking him with cold case files. He's found a few leads to send to some LEOs."

"Have him meet me somewhere. We can talk, and maybe he'll open up to me."

"Fat chance but I can do that. You look better than the last time I dropped in on you. The bags under your eyes are gone. Are you settled back into a good sleeping pattern?"

"Yes, I was finally taken off the high dose of the pills that were making me sleep erratically. The dreams have stopped."

"Director wants you to talk to a new psychologist as soon as you are comfortable."

"I had a good rapport with the other."

"She retired. It's why Brannon is able to mess around with the current one. However, that's not who you will be talking to. You get someone from the CIA."

"Well, that's..." Aaron sighed and picked up his tea and took a drink. As he did, the waitress set down two plates of food. Aaron looked at his plate of chicken parmesan and at Dave's plate of a steak salad of some kind. The dressing and the amount of cheese and bacon made the salad barely worth being called healthy. 

"So go ahead and start bitching at me about how big the apartment feels and how empty it is without Jack there."

* * *

Spencer opened his apartment door, hearing the scampering of Curiosity's feet as he ran towards the door. Spencer flipped on the apartment lights and stepped forward to allow Andrea to enter after him. As soon as Curiosity realized that Spencer wasn't alone, he stopped in his tracks, sliding on the hardwood floor a little.

"Oh, he's adorable," Andrea said as she shut the door. "He looks bigger than the photo that you sent to me."

" _Curiosity is a Maine Coon cat and only three years old. He will continue to grow for the next two years._ "

"Oh, did you get him on purpose or was it a mistake of you not knowing the breed?" Andrea asked. 

" _I knew what breed I wanted. I went to find a Maine Coon cat at the shelter. There was a litter of them, and he was the last. He never stayed in the pen that they kept him in. He always got out and was always curious. It's why they called him Curiosity._ " Spencer moved forward and picked up Curiosity, holding him up for Andrea to pet. Andrea held out her hand and Curiosity sniffed at it before he recoiled back and hissed. Curiosity struggled until Spencer let him go. He ran into the kitchen and Spencer was sure that he wasn't going to be seen until after Andrea left. 

" _He doesn't like strangers. Martin from work, it took him weeks to get used to him coming over every day after I was unable to drive due to a broken arm and a leg after I was clipped by a car that ran a red light in DC._ "

"Oh," was all that Andrea said. She watched where Curiosity went, but she didn't seem too upset. Spencer moved towards the kitchen, but her hand on his arm stopped him. She trailed that hand down to his hand, pulling his phone from it and tossing it onto the couch. Spencer raised his eyebrows up at her, but all she did was smile before backing him towards his comfortable chair at the window. Spencer's legs connected with the chair, Andrea kept pushing him back until he fell on his ass into the chair. She crawled into his lap and kissed him, hard. Spencer didn’t know what to do with his hands because he didn’t know what this meant. Not until she settled her crotch over his and ground down. Spencer grabbed her hips and pulled her even more into him. She gasped as his length started to harden in his pants. 

Spencer wanted his phone to be able to talk to her. He thought about that home system that Raven had tried to talk him into. Spencer trailed kisses down Andrea's neck, nipping as he reached the bottom. Andrea's hands were working on opening up his shirt, her fingers dipping inside to brush his skin but all she found was another shirt. Andrea reared back to see what she had found and looked shocked. 

"That's a pink shirt."

Spencer nodded. 

"You wear pink undershirts?" 

Spencer wasn't sure how to answer that with the methods that were available to him, so he just shrugged. Andrea ripped the rest of the buttons open. She shoved the shirt down his arms and Spencer leaned forward so that he could get his hands free. He was barely out of the long sleeved shirt when she tugged the undershirt up and over his head. Spencer immediately reached up, both of his hands cupping the underside of her breasts and lifting them up to where he could lean down to exhale over her nipples. Andrea moaned, tipping her head back, hands on Spencer's shoulders. Her hands dug in as Spencer took a hard nipple in between his lips, the shirt not helping to hide how aroused she was. 

"Harder, Spencer." 

Spencer smiled around the cloth and flesh in his mouth and opened his lips wider. He took moe of the breast inside his mouth so that he could tongue at the nipple. One of Andrea's hands left his shoulder, moving to grip the back of his neck and hold him in place. Spencer let go of the hand that was holding and massaging Andrea's breast, dropping it down to cup the outside of her sex, he dug his fingers up just enough to where his three longest fingers were right over her panty covered hole. Andrea bucked up and then back down, gasping at the feeling. Andrea let go of him fully so that she could rip her shirt off of her body. Spencer didn't waste any time at all, he dove in and took her naked breast back into his mouth, realizing she hadn't been wearing a bra all evening. 

"Bed?" Andrea asked, her body shuddering at the feel of Spencer's mouth on her flesh and his hand working her up. Spencer let go of her, and grabbed her arms to wrap them around his neck as he stood. Andrea screeched a little before she got her arms around Spencer's neck. His hands were gripping her ass so that she wouldn't fall but still she freaked out a little. 

Spencer walked as fast as he could to the bedroom. Ever since he had broken his arm and leg, he had kept up with the running and some of the weight lifting that he had been doing as physio. Moments like this he was glad of it because he surprised everyone when he did it. Halfway to the bedroom, Spencer had to stop and press Andrea's weight into the wall or risk dropping her. He kissed her again, hard as he ground his cock into her pussy. 

"Fuck, bed now, Spencer."

Spencer gripped Andrea's ass a little harder and lifted her just a little more. He turned and pushed the bedroom door open all the way, Curiosity had to have been playing with himself using a toy on the other side because it was usually the only reason that it was half shut like that. The door crashed into the wall, and Spencer flinched a little at the sound. His apartment usually wasn't that loud. Andrea didn't notice, she was more interested in kissing, and Spencer was willing to indulge her. Spencer's bed was tremendous in his room. He loved having space to sleep like a starfish as his mother had called it. It was a California King with special sheets that stayed cool all the time. The bed was the most significant indulgence that Spencer had beside his books. 

Dropping Andrea on the bed, Spencer fell to his knees to start to work her pants open. It wasn't long before Andrea was helping him strip her down to just her skin. Spencer grabbed her legs and spread them ducking down to swipe his tongue over her clit for the first time. Andrea dropped down to her back on the bed, moving her feet up onto the bed and spreading her knees as far apart as she could get them, giving Spencer all access to her pussy. Spencer allowed himself a smile at the fact that Andrea was perfectly bare under his gaze. She obviously waxed or had even paid to have hair removal done. If she waxed, it meant that she was expecting sex on the date and Spencer was okay with that. Spencer had made sure to clip all of his nails and even soften up a few of the calluses on his hands to make sure that he didn't hurt her at all. 

"Please, Spencer," Andrea begged as Spencer just licked at her for a few minutes, teasing her with swipes of his fingers over her clit, barely dipping inside of her hole. Spencer didn't hesitate to slide two fingers inside of her as he blew a puff of air over her clit. Andrea jerked on the bed, her hand reaching out and grabbing a handful of Spencer's hair, holding Spencer's mouth in the place where he was trying his hardest to make her orgasm quickly. 

"Don't stop, please." 

Spencer curled his fingers just right, his tongue working her outside and his fingers the inside, making Andrea near scream when she finally came. Spencer kept pushing his fingers inside of her, pressing in just enough to make her moan, kept licking and sucking on her clit until she drove him away from her. Unbuttoning his pants, Spencer stood up and shimmied out of them, he pushed his underwear down at the same time. He looked down at Andrea, who was panting and staring up at him with half-lidded eyes. 

Andrea pushed herself up the bed, and when she was settled with her head on a pillow, she beckoned Spencer up the bed as well with a curled finger. Spencer dropped to his knees at the end of the bed and braced his hands at her hips, he dipped his head down to place a kiss just above her belly button, loving the breathy sound that she made as she inhaled, trying to get her skin away from him. Spencer didn't even pause before he licked the skin Spencer had just kissed. Spencer kissed and licked, occasionally he nipped skin as he moved up to kiss her on the lips again. Spencer's hips slotted between her legs and Andrea shuddered at the brush of Spencer's hard cock across her sensitive pussy. When he sat up to reach over and grab a condom, Andrea's hands dropped down and started to play with Spencer's cock and balls. 

Spencer looked down at her hands and watched as she stroked his cock. The condoms were right on top of the nightstand, Spencer had set them out before he had gone on the date. Spencer even had slipped a pack into his glovebox, in case she had wanted to go back to her place. Spencer didn't do penetrative sex without a condom, with a male or a female but especially with a woman because he did not want to end up with a pregnant girlfriend. 

"Do you want me to put it on you?" Andrea asked. Her hand squeezed tightly on his cock, just tight enough to where it felt terrific, making Spencer's mouth open in a gasp. Andrea's eye lit up at the sound. She gently tugged, and Spencer frowned, but when she stopped playing with his balls and beckoned him forward, he realized what she wanted. Spencer shook his head and dropped the condom on her stomach before holding up that hand and using his thumb and pointer finger to show that he was too damned close. If her mouth touched his cock, he was going to go off because Spencer loved the feel of a mouth around his cock. 

Andrea let go of Spencer fully and grabbed the condom, she opened the wrapper carefully and pinched the head of the condom before she started to roll it down Spencer's cock. Even the feeling of just that had Spencer too close for his own comfort. He groaned and grabbed the headboard as he dropped forward a little. Andrea looked smug as she pulled her hands free of his cock. 

"I want you inside me," Andrea said. 

Spencer nodded and wrapped his hand around the base of his cock, making sure that he didn't go off too soon. Andrea settled and spread her legs just a little more. When Spencer was convinced that he wasn't going to come, he shifted his grip from the base to the shaft of his cock and let himself drop down to where his hand was braced at Andrea's head. She squeaked and laughed until he pressed the head of his cock into the space between her clit and hole, just enough pressure to let her know that he was so close to what she wanted. Andrea was watching him closely as he leaned forward, but instead of his cock slipping down, Spencer angled it up to where the head brushed over her clit before the rest of his flesh followed. She closed her eyes at the feeling, so Spencer did it again and again. Her hands gripped the bedsheets, and Spencer knew that soon she'd scream at him to fuck her and he didn't need the neighbor banging on the wall so when he pulled back, he angled his cock down. 

As soon as the head of Spencer's cock pressed into Andrea's hole, Andrea's eyes shot open she locked gazes with Spencer as he slowly pushed inside of her. She let out a breathy moan when Spencer bottomed out. Spencer felt so much as he reveled being inside of her, the tightness, the heat, it felt too good. Spencer didn't pull out until Andrea shifted a little bit. Spencer wrapped his arm that he was bracing himself on around the back of her head, pushing her head up to where he could kiss her as he thrust inside of her. 

This was Spencer's favorite thing about sex, feeling his partner's breath over his skin. He wanted this as often as he could, his body pressed against a lover, their bodies speaking instead of voices. For Spencer this was his chance to really tell someone how much he liked them. Using his speech program wasn't as personal as this was. Even though the voice that Raven had crafted for him sounded natural, it wasn't, and to Spencer, it put a barrier between him and his partner. 

Spencer was so lost in his head, thinking about how everything felt to him that he didn't realize that Andrea had orgasmed again until she was whispering for him to stop. Spencer pressed himself all the way inside of her as he felt more spasms of her muscles around his cock. Spencer gasped as it brought him over the edge. Spencer shuddered as Andrea tipped his head up to kiss him again, her tongue mapping his mouth. Spencer allowed her to kiss him until his cock softened enough to slip out of her on its own. Spencer reached down to hold onto the top of the condom before he slid off the bed to take care of it and cleaning himself up. He grabbed a clean rag and wet it with warm water and grabbed another to use to dry Andrea up. 

When Spencer was done he tossed the rags into the hamper in the bathroom before he moved to grab his cell phone from the living room as well as all of the clothes that they had scattered everywhere. He dropped his into the hamper in the bedroom and laid Andrea's over the back of a chair. Andrea was watching him from the bed, a smile on her face. She was snuggled down under the blankets. Spencer smiled back at her and moved over to get under the sheets. He settled in on his side facing her, she reached out and brushed her thumb over his bottom lip. She pulled the phone from his hand and frowned when it was locked. 

"You have work stuff on here don't you?" Andrea asked as she handed the phone back over to him. 

Spencer nodded. Still, he unlocked the phone and handed it over. The haptic feedback for the apps on his phone made different sounds for each one opened. Andrea clicked into the camera and took a picture of herself, blowing a kiss to the camera. When she was done, she handed the phone back over.

"You can set that as the picture for my profile so you can see my face when I text you." 

Spencer nodded and did as she told him to. It was better than the generic icon that came for people without a picture in the contacts. Almost everyone in the contacts had an actual picture of themselves, but for Rossi, Spencer had put the cover of the first book of his that he had read. Andrea closed her eyes, a sappy smile on her face and Spencer turned up the alarms on his phone a little so that he wouldn't sleep through them. 

* * *

The sound of an insistent chirp was what pulled Spencer out of his sleep. He opened his eyes and looked around, seeing Andrea's face half buried in the pillow, the blankets pulled up to her chin. Spencer smiled at her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. The chirp sounded again, and Spencer frowned at his phone. It was Raven's text message tone, but given the time of day on the weekend, she should be just going to bed if not already dead asleep. 

Spencer unplugged his phone and looked at the message that was waiting for him. He frowned as it took a few tries for his half-awake brain to make out the words coherently enough to actually made sense to him. Curiosity jumped up onto the bed and Spencer reached out to pet him, but instead, Curiosity sniffed at his hand before running away. Spencer shook his head at his snooty cat and turned back to the phone. 

What medicine over the counter can be substituted for Grace's medication?

Spencer looked at the words, and his brain supplied the list of things that could be combined to give to the three-year-old, but instead of sending that, Spencer rushed to the bathroom to get a shower in. While he was in the shower, Spencer thought about all the medication that Foyet was on. Spencer hadn't even thought about using that to track him. While he was on too many to also try and find one person who was taking it all, Foyet wouldn't be that stupid. He was probably getting all of his medicines filled under different names if he was doing it that way at all but there had to be something that he was on that wasn't available over the counter. 

Dressing after the shower was on autopilot. Spencer wasn't paying attention to anything at all.

"Spencer?" Andrea called out, and it caused Spencer to spin around so fast that his arm flailed out and it crashed into his dresser. Spencer lifted his hand and bussed a kiss on the back of his hand. It was a self-soothe that he had picked up as a child. Andrea was sitting on the bed and holding out his phone. Spencer moved over and grabbed it. 

" _A break came in a case I am working on, and I need to go to work. I'll probably be there most of the day._ "

"I'll get dressed then." Andrea looked a little put out, but Spencer wasn't paying close attention to her. He was focused on the Foyet case. Running the list of medications through his head. He hadn't done research on them as he knew that it was a black hole that he would go down and never get out of. The case had needed his full attention, so he had dismissed the medication as a non-entity. He felt so stupid. 

Twenty minutes later, Spencer was leaving, just minutes after Andrea had gone. He had kissed her goodbye and told her that he would call her as soon as possible but Spencer was distracted on his phone. Unfortunately, the search function on it wasn't as good as the one that he had developed for his work computer. Spencer made sure to grab his work laptop just to be safe. Spencer hailed a cab because he knew that his brain was too focused on the case to even attempt to drive himself in. It was still early enough in the morning that traffic wasn't bad yet for a Saturday. 

Spencer looked at his phone, looking at the texting app and frowned. He didn't want to get Rossi's hopes up, but he did want to let him know that he had a lead. Still, it wasn't much of one, and it had every single chance of striking out, so Spencer decided to not text Rossi as the cab pulled up to the Hoover building. He tossed money to the driver, knowing that he at least paid for the trip if not a trip back as well but he didn't care. 

There were few people in the office, those who worked the weekend still had about an hour before their shifts started and even in Spencer's office, there was no one about. Spencer set his laptop down in the meeting room before he began to grab all of the medical files on George Foyet from his trip to the hospital after stabbing himself and of his intake reports for the short period of time that he spent in lockup after the BAU team had caught him. There were also files from prescriptions that all of Foyet's aliases had filled and anything related to the doctor visits under those names. 

A list two pages long was what Spencer had when he compiled every single medication that Foyet had taken over the years since the self-stabbing. Once it was organized, Spencer sent off seven texts to analysts that were better at hacking than him. Raven answered as well as Joe Faraday that worked for Homeland Security. Raven was busy with work, but Joe was in the building on a different case that he had wrapped up with the homicide division. 

"What's up genius?" Joe asked as he settled in with his laptop across from Spencer. 

" _I need your hacking skills. I have a fugitive that I've been tracking for a little while, and I think I found a way to find him but the man is good and is technological enough to create and maintain several aliases well enough to see doctors and get prescriptions with those aliases._ "

"So he's going to have things set up for when his aliases are searched. Good thinking. So lay it all on me."

" _I am waiting for one last person._ "

"Sure. I'll get my laptop booted up and ready to go."

Joe looked down at his laptop and started to type on it. Spencer was barely paying attention as he waited for a reply to one of his emails. George Foyet was close to DC, there was no other place for the man to be and Spencer knew that the BAU was off on a case in New Mexico. So Spencer had emailed the head of the fugitive retrieval squad. Spencer didn't want to start a search into the details of Foyet before he knew that he had a team ready and waiting to go.

"Doctor Reid," a man said from behind him. Joe reacted before Spencer, reaching for his gun at his hip. However, Joe relaxed back into the seat. 

"Greg Lamb," Joe said and stood up to lean over the table and offer his hand. The man, Lamb, stepped over to shake his hand. "That's Doctor Spencer Reid, and please have a seat."

Lamb sat down where he could see Spencer and Joe. "My team is loaded up and ready to go. I also have SWAT and two back up teams ready."

"What?" Joe asked. Joe looked at Spencer, but Spencer didn't have anything to say. Spencer hadn't told Joe who he was hunting. Spencer hadn't expected for Lamb to just arrive like he did. He planned to get an email and for a notification that the team was being assembled. 

"The FBI wants George Foyet dead, and with the firing of Erin Strauss, the FBI wants this chapter of the BAU done and over with. I have had a team at the ready for a while. I had thought that I would hear from Agent Rossi but the Director let me know that it could come from you as well. I have contact with my entire team and the secondary teams. I just need a place to go."

"Okay, I'll have that as soon as possible. Okay, Doc, give me the rundown. I've already downloaded a copy of the database that we need. I just need the medication that I need to track."

" _What about the DMV database to track him?"_

"I made sure to download the addresses of the patients when I did it, without triggering anything. It's easier to do that with one database than two."

"And being homeland security, you have access to a few more things than we do."

"Hey, this man has killed a lot of people, I consider him a terrorist. He terrorized Boston and is now terrorizing an entire unit in the FBI. Foyet is going to go down, no matter what I have to do." 

" _This might not even pan out._ "

"Doc, I trust you now let me work my magic."

Spencer gave him the name of the medication and watched him work. Lamb was a pillar of raw anxiety beside him, and Spencer looked him up and down. The man hadn't even offered his hand in a greeting. While typically, Spencer would be upset at that. Many before had never done it because they wanted to slight him.

"I can see your brain working, Doctor Reid. So what are you thinking about?"

" _You didn't offer your hand in greeting to me._ "

"I have a cousin who is deaf. He doesn't shake. I treated you like I do him. I guess you didn't see me wave, sorry about that, Doc. My cousin is a good guy, and I understand his reasons for not shaking hands. I shouldn't have assumed."

" _I don't shake hands either, so it wasn't a bad assumption._ "

"I got our guy," Joe said. 

Spencer looked at him. 

"I even have a traffic cam that has a picture of the side of the building. I'll forward it to you, Lamb. Go." Joe waved him out.

"Nope, I'm on desk duty for a while. I'll stay here and coordinate. Doc here knows his profile and will be the best person to ask questions if Foyet takes off."

Time passed slowly for Spencer. Lamb was keeping the channel clear as the team moved in to take Foyet into custody. Spencer watched him as he listened in. Lamb kept glancing at him, and Joe was typing away on his computer. 

"Here," Lamb said tossing over an ear mic. "You can't jam up the channel with noise so just write out a statement if you have something to add." 

Spencer slipped the mic into his ear. He could hear the chatter between the team as they moved in on the apartment. 

"He's running," one of the team said over the mic. 

"George Foyet! STOP! FBI!" was heard and it was too loud for Spencer, and he flinched. Lamb did not. 

"What is the order on Foyet?" Joe asked, looking up from the computer for the first time. 

"Dead or alive but that's from brass. Agents agree that dead is better. He escaped custody once, and he's too smart to go back in and not get out again."

"FOYET! Freeze, or I will shoot!" an agent yelled. 

The sound of a gunshot echoed in Spencer's ear, and he knew that Foyet was dead.

"Suspect down," a calmer voice said.

"Foyet is dead. No pulse," the shooter said. 

Spencer looked at Lamb and nodded.

"Do you want the notification?" Lamb asked Spencer.

" _No. You can meet the BAU at the airstrip. They are in Utah and on their way home. Given the current weather patterns between there and here and flight departure, they will be here in just over three hours._ " Spencer wasn't going to go anywhere near the team at the moment. He had no clue what their reaction to not being the ones to bag Foyet was going to be. 

"It's going to stay quiet until I get to talk to the BAU and then Agent Hotchner specifically. My team is locking down the scene. He was killed on a rooftop so it will be easy to hide. Thank you, Doctor Agent Reid. I am glad that we found him. My team has had little luck tracking him." Lamb looked like he meant that fully and it gave Spencer a good feeling. Most of the time agents like Lamb didn't like to be showed up by someone else who was coming in and did their job. "Maybe I need to find an egghead like you to help us. An analyst who stays back at the office and can help every team. I'll pitch it to my boss. Again. Thank you."

Spencer nodded. He looked at Lamb and held out his hand. Lamb took it gently and shook his hand before letting go, no outward show of strength at all. Spencer didn't know what he felt inside. The people Spencer hunted were never dead at the end of the hunt. Spencer hadn't been the one to pull the trigger, but he was the cause of his death. Foyet was someone who would strike again and again if he had been taken in alive, Spencer knew it was the best outcome. Foyet had attacked an FBI agent in his home and caused two lives to be disrupted. Two innocent lives that were only connected because of the man that Foyet had an obsession with breaking. Spencer picked up his phone and made a note to give a call to his friend in California who acted as his psychologist, and he made plans to pick up the books from the store that he ordered so that when Spencer had trouble sleeping, he would have something to do that wasn't work.


	4. Later June 2009

Aaron knew that the whole reason that he wasn't allowed to go and bring Haley and Jack home was to preserve secrecy. Still taking two weeks to bring them home was driving Aaron nuts. Aaron wasn't sure why it was taking that long. Two weeks was a long time for Foyet to be dead and Aaron not seeing Jack again. The two weeks was good for Aaron though because he was cleared to go out and about in his life again. He wasn't cleared to go to work. 

Those two weeks were put to good use because Aaron cleaned up the house that Haley and Jack were going to be going back into. The master bedroom had looked exactly the same as it had when Aaron had seen it the last time. Still, he pulled the linens off of the bed and put fresh ones one that he had laundered himself so that it all smelled crisp and clean. 

Jack's room was updated, a few toys that Aaron remembered were gone and new ones replaced. Aaron had spent the day before shopping for a few new toys for Jack as well as some clothes. The last report he had from WitSec on Jack was that he had grown an inch. Aaron hoped that his favorite color was still orange. 

Standing in Jack's room, Aaron felt more out of place than he had in a very long time. He had felt that way since he had opened his apartment door to see Dave standing outside of it with another man that it took a few seconds for Aaron to place. Greg Lamb, head of the DC area fugitive retrieval squad. Aaron hadn't liked it, but he had invited the two men into his apartment. Other than the psychiatrist that came to him, Aaron had no strangers in the apartment. 

"Dave, what can I do for you?"

"Aaron, Greg Lamb, Greg, Aaron Hotchner." 

"We've met. It's been a few years, but we have met." Aaron waved for them to sit down because, with the way that Dave was acting, it wasn't a personal visit. "What can I do for you?"

"Four hours ago, in an apartment seven blocks from here, my team under the direction of my second in command invaded an apartment. The inhabitant escaped from the apartment and fled the scene. He was commanded to halt and did not, so a kill shot was taken." Lamb's tone was no-nonsense, but Aaron did not understand why he was there.

"And why are you here?" Aaron had a few thoughts it being Sean, a case of mistaken identity but no, Sean was in New York, and if there were a warrant for his arrest, Aaron would know.

"George Foyet is confirmed dead." 

Aaron had sat and stared at Lamb. The wind was taken out of his sails. Even now, two weeks later, Aaron still wasn't sure what he felt about it. He had spent so long hunting the man. From the first day he had stepped on the original case, Foyet had held a place in his mind. To have it end and him not be apart of it, Aaron was going insane. 

The agent who had escorted Haley and Jack to the airport, where ever they had been, had texted when the jet had taken off. The notification that it had landed at Quantico had come two hours after that. Aaron had been pacing from room to room since then. 

Aaron hated the pacing, but it was the only thing that he could do. Dinner was in the oven, a recipe for a baked cheeseburger macaroni meal. Aaron made himself leave Jack's room because he couldn't take it anymore. He moved to the guest room and grabbed his shaving kit. He hadn't been shaving every morning and today had been too much for him to even attempt it. He had slept for shit, and it had shown. He was surviving on way too much coffee. 

Shaving centered Aaron even though he was using a store cartridge razor instead of his straight razor. He was afraid of cutting himself if he used the straight razor. The feel of the blades calmed Aaron in a way that nothing else did, which was a very odd feeling. Aaron used the aftershave and looked at himself, there were bags under his eyes, but that was something that he couldn't fix. He just hoped that Jack didn't get scared seeing him again. Jack had never been gone this long and not seen him, he could understand if the boy was scared.

The sound of the phone ringing inside the house startled Aaron. He looked at the number on the phone in the hallway and grabbed it up.

"Hotchner," Aaron said. 

"We are not far away. Don't come outside, please, Aaron," Sam Kassmeyer said. He sounded tired. "Let us come to you."

"Sam," Aaron said.

"Please, Aaron."

"Fine." Aaron hung up the phone, slamming it into the cradle, hearing the loudness of it in the quiet home was too much, but Aaron didn't care. There was something wrong, and Sam wanted to keep it out of the public eye. Aaron didn't care. He moved forward, down the stairs as he heard the front door open. Sam had lied, or it was someone who shouldn't have been there. Aaron took the last half of the steps at a near run, and when he rounded the corner and saw not Haley but Jessica standing there with her hands on Jack's shoulder and his son, his son looked so upset and just broken that Aaron wasn't sure what he was going to do. 

Jack looked up, and when he realized that it was Aaron standing there, he fought out of Jessica's light hold and took off at a run towards Aaron. Aaron crouched just in time to catch the young boy as he jumped into his father's arms. Aaron wrapped his arms around his son's body tight and stood up. He looked at Jessica and knew that something devastating had happened. 

Jessica opened her mouth to say something but stopped, letting out a sob instead. It was then that Aaron realized that Jack hadn't said his name. Jack hadn't said, Daddy. Jack was crying, little sniffles into Aaron's neck but he wasn't saying a word. Aaron looked at Jessica. She had a file tucked under her arm. Aaron pressed a kiss into Jack's hair and moved to the living room. He sat down in the chair that he had always sat in to read to Jack when he had been younger. Jack clung tighter to him as he sat down and Aaron didn't even try and move him. Instead, Aaron settled into his lap better. 

"Oh, Jack, I love you," Aaron muttered into Jack's hair. Jack said nothing but just clung to Aaron, softly crying. Aaron sat in the chair until Jack went limp, asleep from his crying. Jessica stayed at the edge of the room until Aaron looked up at her after Jack had passed out. 

Jessica stepped over and handed the file to Aaron. Aaron shifted Jack to where he was cradled in Aaron's lap, his head tucked on Aaron's side and resting on the arm of the chair. Aaron held the file in one hand and opened it up. On top was an autopsy report. Aaron looked at the name on the report. It was for a Selena Smith. Aaron raised his eyes to look at Jessica. She waved for him to keep reading. Aaron dropped his eyes again and read over the report. After years of looking at ME reports, Aaron knew what it was and could understand it. 

There were brain scans and very detailed images of the inside of the brain after it had been autopsied. The cause of death was brain cancer, undiagnosed until it killed her. The details said that she had been found in bed, dead, by an officer when she did not go to work and her child did not go to preschool. The child was found playing in his room, unaware of what had happened to his mother. There was no mention of a father. 

Aaron looked down at Jack's face, asleep. Looking like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"It was a week into her placement there. If it weren't for the fact that Jack hadn't gone to school and the school had called Haley's office, the cops wouldn't have been called to check out the house. That was two people not where they were supposed to be. The ME said that it was quick and painless."

"Why are you here? How do you know this?"

"Sam came and got me from work. He made me sign a paper that said that even if I turned him down, I would not speak to you or dad or mom about what he told me. When he was done, there was no way that I wasn't going to go with him. So I called dad and told him that I was going on a work trip for a few weeks and wouldn't be able to call a lot due to time differences."

"Roy never said that."

"Dad's called you?"

"He calls me nearly every day demanding that I do my damned job and get his daughter home."

"I've not been over there yet. I don't want to go and tell him." Jessica looked scared, and that broke Aaron inside a little more. "I was going to do it tomorrow morning."

"I'll go and tell him. We don't need him upset at you as well." 

"I can take care of my father and mother, Aaron. You have bigger problems."

"How can I have bigger problems?" Aaron asked. Jessica wasn't dramatic. She wasn't anything like Haley had been. She was calm and rational, and it was part of why Aaron had been glad that when Haley had issues, she went to Jessica. Jessica calmed her down and make Haley see reason. If Jessica was telling him that he had a more significant problem, she meant it and was probably, understating it. 

"There is a reason that I was brought in to take care of Jack." Jessica stopped and looked down at Jack in Aaron's arms, there was such a look of sadness on her face that Aaron ached to go to her. He was afraid of disrupting Jack. Even if he was a passed out asleep from crying, Jack looked like he needed it. "He hasn't spoken since he was told that Haley was dead. The day after I got to where Jack was we were taken to a new place. There was a child psychologist there that works for the federal government and was vetted to work with Jack. He is withdrawn and silent. He's still affectionate with me and obviously with you. You don't know how many times that I sat with him in my arms at night and thought about running. Coming back to DC so that he could be with you. I knew that it wouldn't fix him, but I was hoping to hear his voice again. It's broken me, Aaron. Not hearing him laugh, not hearing him say my name."

"He's mute?" Aaron looked down at Jack again, looking at his son who was mute it seemed. Aaron knew the effects of trauma on a child. Jack had always been on the shyer side of extroverted, and Aaron wasn't shocked that he internalized. He would almost take Jack acting out and being a little asshole. He could take that better than silence. The silence was harder. Silence brought on a whole lot of other issues. Jack was supposed to be in preschool, where silence wasn't going to be a possibility. Given that Jack had been in school in June meant that Haley had been sending him to one of the year-round schools. It had been Aaron's wish for Jack to be in year-round schooling. While Aaron had hated his boarding school, he had liked that aspect. He had liked not coming home for three months in the summer but instead just a few weeks here and there. Aaron had done a lot of research into year-round schools in the DC area for Jack. He had been in a regular preschool because the divorce had put a backburner on those plans. It was all on Aaron now. Aaron had to plan and find a school that would be right for Jack. He had never looked at schools for kids with disabilities of any kind. He would make that the point of the rest of the leave to make sure that Jack had a new psychiatrist and a new school for him to go to in September. 

"The psychologist calls it a traumatic loss of voice. She said that he could recover it at any point, but she wasn't making headway with him or connecting with him at all. She gave a list of many doctors in the area that she thinks could do well with him. I've looked it over, but this is more your realm. I'm going to help you in every single way that I can, but I can't help with this part. 

“Aaron...I had to make a decision about her remains, and I did. There is no body to bury because I didn't want to bury her and then pull her up when Foyet was caught. I had her cremated. She had talked about it before mom started to get sick. I can't..." Jessica shook her head and disappeared from Aaron's sight. 

Aaron sighed and lifted Jack up in his arms and followed Jessica. He found her in the master bedroom, she was sitting on the bed, her hand resting on the clothes that Aaron had laid out for Haley to change into. Her favorite around the house casual outfit. 

"How can I go home tomorrow and tell them that they don't even get to buy their daughter? That they don't get to say goodbye and kiss her forehead in a casket? How do I tell mom and dad this?"

"It never is easy, telling someone that their child is dead. I still hate doing it as part of the job. I meant it that I will go with you."

"No, Aaron. You need to be here for Jack. He doesn't need to be there for my father’s meltdown.. I have a digital file of all of the sessions that Doctor Milgram did with Jack."

"What happened to your apartment?"

"WitSec cleaned it out and stored everything. They did not expect for this to be resolved so quickly. Sam said that he would make sure that I had a place to stay until I could find a new place." 

"You can stay here. I had planned on staying for a while to help settle Haley and Jack back in. Now, this..." Aaron stopped because everything was changed. He had to get moved out of his apartment and back into the house because Jack needed stability and this home was as close to security as he could give him in the wake of what had happened. It made sense to have Jessica around, the only person that Jack had been around in the time after Haley's death. Aaron wasn't ready to face this on his own. Going from a slightly absent father to being a single parent. Of course, Roy would have an issue with that. He would hate that Jessica would even have a single thing to do with Aaron in the wake of what happened. The only saving grace was that even if she had been home, she would have been dead. The report said that even if it had been caught at the first signs, she still would have only lived a short time after her diagnosis, even with treatment. 

"Aaron I can't just move in with you."

"No, no I know. It's stupid. You have a life."

"Aaron, why do you want me to move in with you?" Jessica asked.

"For Jack. He needs stability, and right now that is you. You've been there for weeks with him. I don't want to know what would happen to him if you were all of a sudden gone but I understand. We can work through it. I just need to get settled in here. I have a lot that I have to do." Aaron started to make a mental list. He shifted Jack to where the boy was sleeping on Aaron's shoulder. He moved to the chair in the corner and sat down, turning towards where he was able to see Jessica sitting on the bed. 

"I can't sleep in this bedroom, Aaron. I don't know what exactly you were thinking about this, but I can't sleep in this room."

"There is only the guest room."

"There is the basement. I know that half of it is unfinished and until it's done I can stay on the couch, the one in your office pulls out into a bed right?" Jessica asked. 

"Yes." Aaron had spent many nights sleeping on it. He'd bought one of the best mattresses on the market for it. 

"Good. I can stay in there, and while you are moving back in, I can watch Jack. I am sure that the team will help as much as possible when you guys are home from cases."

"Jessica, I'm still not cleared for duty."

"What? Haley said you were stabbed, but she didn't...Aaron?" Jessica was upset, and Aaron could tell. He wasn't shocked that Haley downplayed what had happened to him. It made it better that Aaron was not that hurt but was still putting her into Witness Protection. It showed a bigger disruption to her life for such a little thing. 

"I was stabbed nine times by a serial killer. That's why Haley and Jack were sent away to protect them. He left a note that he was going to go after them. That's why they were put into Witness Protection. It's why I'm still stuck on the sidelines, the damage was extensive. My doctors have a baseline of what they want me back to before clearing me for field work, and I have not hit it yet. Running after a while gets me to where I have trouble breathing."

"It's been months."

"Yes it has, and it's at least three weeks before I am allowed back to work. In that time I can get everything taken care of as far as moving me back in here. There is a group of movers that the Bureau uses when moving agents from place to place. I can get a hold of them and use them to get me moved in quickly."

"Why don't you call them now. It's still daylight, and I am sure that there are cases for rush jobs."

"I..." Aaron didn't want to deal with it. He really didn't. He wanted to focus on Jack, his son who had been away from him when his mother died. Who was mute and dealing with too much for his age, hell it was too much for anyone to ever have to deal with. Jack didn't need Aaron splitting his focus. Aaron leaned his head back onto the back of the chair. 

"Why don't you have that team member that came back help you. Haley said that he was too much of a busybody to be anything else."

"Dave is a nosey Nancy. If I call him everyone is going to descend."

"No, they aren't, not if you want Dave to not let them know."

"He's at work, and if he leaves, Garcia will look into it and she doesn't stick to the actual law when she feels something is wrong with the team. I have been trying to break her of that, but right now, she won't listen." 

"Then have him make up something that no one will question."

Aaron nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket. He hadn't told even Dave when Haley and Jack were coming home. He had wanted some time to himself with them before everyone else descended because the team was going to. 

** Dave, I need you at Haley's house, please. I don't want the team figuring out that this is where you are going. **

Aaron set his phone on his leg, and he shifted Jack just a little to get some feeling back in his arm. His phone vibrated, and Aaron looked down at it, seeing that it was Dave texting back.

I'm actually not even at work right now. I'm sitting in my office at home trying to get some writing in.

Aaron dialed Dave's office number to talk to him instead of texting back and forth.

"What do you need, Aaron?"

"Jack's home."

"Jack and not Haley?"

"Dave, I can't. Not over the phone. Just come here, please." Aaron hung up and closed his eyes. He could feel tears threatening. He needed to keep it together until Jack was asleep that night. He had to be strong until then because it was what Jack needed. He needed to see Aaron stable at the moment. It wouldn't take much to scare Jack more. 

Jessica left the room, leaving Aaron to his silence. Aaron sat there for a few minutes before he stood up and moved to Jack's room. The rocking chair from when he had been a baby was still there. Jack liked to sit in it and read to himself, look at the pictures for the more laborious books, and wanted to sit in it with Haley or Aaron while they read to him. When no one was in the chair, some of Jack's stuffed animals lived in it. Aaron swept them out with a hand and settled into the chair. Sitting beside it was the book that Haley had been reading to Jack at bedtime. Aaron looked at it and sighed. _James and the Giant Peach_ was not exactly the best story to be read. Aaron unlocked his phone and pulled up his reading app and found a kids book and bought it. 

Aaron was halfway through the second chapter when he saw Dave hovering in the doorway. Aaron stopped reading and looked up at him. He had papers in his hand.

"Jessica has been printing out the full psychological evaluation of Jack from the first doctor and then just before he left."

"What did she tell you?" Aaron asked.

"Cliff Notes. She also showed me the autopsy report. This is...if you didn't have bad luck, I would say that you would have none. How is he?"

"I don't know. Jack cried himself to sleep as soon as I picked him up. He looks worn out, and I just want him to sleep as long as possible."

"Jessica took the food out of the oven and said that Jack hasn't eaten since last night. He was too upset, and she didn't force him to eat breakfast. She is hoping that the smell of food will wake him up and that with you here, he'll eat."

"I don't think that I can eat."

"Well, you'll have to buck up and eat because Jack needs to." Dave stepped over to Aaron and handed over the papers in his hand. Aaron nodded his thanks and started to read them over. It fit just like a standard case of traumatic loss of voice in a child as young as he was. The report stated that he was learning sign language very well, actually the follow up said that he was absorbing it at an astounding rate. There was a note to have his intelligence tested as soon as possible to make sure that he wasn't going to get bored with school. 

"I need your help, Dave."

"Okay. What do you need?"

"Your brand of getting things done in less time than it should take. I'm moving back into the house, and I don't want to leave Jack here alone."

"So you want me to have your place packed up and brought here and reopened."

"Yes."

"I can do that. I can make sure that the team doesn't find anything out until you come back to the unit. You know that this is going to delay that right?"

"Has the new Section Chief been picked?"

"Yes. I'll do a meeting with him. You remember Jack Applehorn right?"

"Yes. He was a good Unit Chief for the LA SWAT unit."

"Yes. Applehorn requested a position here, and when this one opened up, he took it. His parents are in declining health, and he wanted to be here for them. He's been doing good. It's part of why I was off today. He's getting himself acquainted with it all, and all teams are working from home base unless something major comes up. I'll make sure that he knows that you leaving here isn't going to happen."

"Tell him that I will gladly talk to him here whenever he wants to." Aaron knew that to get it over sooner rather than later would be good. Still, he didn't want to leave Jack, and he wasn't taking Jack to Quantico anytime soon. 

"Of course. So I'll go and make a few calls and then I'll join you and Jessica for dinner. I saw the kitchen, you were doing your best to make Haley happy."

"It was my fault that she was in WitSec."

"No, that was all on Foyet. You did your job, Aaron. It's not your fault that a serial killer targeted your family."

"If I had moved away to White Collar crimes like Haley wanted, this never would have happened."

"No you are right it wouldn't have happened, you going to White Collar crimes would have stopped the cancer that was growing inside of Haley and it would have stopped it from taking her life."

"Dave," Aaron hissed. He jerked in the chair, and Jack shifted on his body, showing signs of waking up. Aaron settled back down.

"That's right. None of this ever would have happened. As much as it was the worst timing ever for the cancer to take Haley's life, what if she had been here? Given the time difference, she would have been in the middle of making Jack breakfast. He would have seen her fall over and been unable to wake mommy up. Everything happens for a reason."

Aaron glared at Dave. He knew that the older man was right, but he didn't have to like it. He hadn't even thought about the fact that with the time difference what Haley would have been doing. There was every single chance that Jack would have been eating breakfast like Dave said and they would still be where they are, with Jack silent and Aaron picking up the pieces just with less guilt.

"Did you see the symptoms?" Dave asked.

"No." Aaron hadn't read those because he wouldn't have been there to see them.

"Erratic behavior and a dramatic change in normal behavior."

Aaron stood up as Jack started to wake up. He thought he knew where Dave was going with that. Haley had hated Aaron's job at the BAU but what if the change from hating it to loathing it and even her affairs were because of the brain cancer. He looked at Dave and made him understand to table it for now. Dave nodded just as Jack's eyes started to open. Aaron stood still as Jack looked around. His eyes took in the room before focusing on Aaron's face. Jack's hands shot up, wiggling from where Aaron had pressed them into his chest. His fingers started to move, signing something.

"Woah, buddy. I don't know what that means." Aaron smiled, trying to make sure that Jack didn't get upset. Jack did the sign again and then pointed at Aaron. "Oh, does that mean Daddy?"

Jack nodded before he slung his arms around Aaron's neck again. After a few seconds of a hug, Jack leaned back again and made another sign but that sign Aaron knew.

"I love you, too buddy. Hey, look who it is!" Aaron turned so that Jack could see Dave. Dave stayed where he was and just waved at Jack. Jack made two different sets of signs. 

"Does that mean Uncle Dave?" Dave asked, his eyes going a little wide at the words that Jack was signing. Jack nodded his head up and down. He reached down and patted his stomach just as it started to growl. 

"Wow, sounds like someone is hungry. Aunt Jessica has pulled out dinner from the oven, and I get there is a plate of it set up just for you and a glass of milk. Do you want Daddy to carry you or do you want to walk?"

Jack cocked his head to the side and then mimed walking with two fingers. Aaron smiled and set down Jack after pressing a kiss into the side of Jack's head. Jack took off at a run and Aaron didn't have it in him to call the boy back for running. Aaron knew that he would have to make sure to start to discipline him for things that he did wrong or he would have a whole other set of problems with Jack going forward but a single day of it wasn't going to hurt Jack. Dave though was chuckling, and Aaron moved towards him.

When Aaron got to the hallway, he saw Jack on the top step. Jack signed something new and didn't understand it. Jack scrunched his face up and then smiled. He mimicked two legs with two fingers showing them moving really fast and then stop and start to walk slower. 

"Are you saying that you are sorry?" Dave asked. 

Jack nodded emphatically as he started to go down the steps at a sedate pace. He waited at the bottom of the steps for Aaron and Dave, and when Aaron stepped down beside him, he took off towards the kitchen at a regular and only slightly fast pace.

"Jack!" Jessica called out as Jack entered. The boy ran to her and Aaron was greeted with the sight of Jessica hold up Jack for a hug before she set him down in the booster seat chair that was Jack's normal one. There were plates set out for all of them, and Aaron was right that a cup of milk was out in front of Jack. Aaron sat down in the chair that had been his at the table while Jessica took Haley's waving for Dave to sit down in the other chair. 

Jack took a bit, smiling as he chewed. He set down his fork and made a sign at Jessica.

"He says that it's yummy." 

As Jessica said the word yummy, Jack made the sign again. Jessica repeated it as well. 

"We learned food words very quickly as it's the most basic need that he has beside needing to go to the bathroom and tired."

Jack made those signs as she said the words as well. Jessica had a smile on her face.

"I saw that he is picking up words and signs very easily."

"I know that Haley always said that she thought he was smart but I kind of chalked some of that up to a parent's pride but this...how quickly he is learning sign language, as well as the alphabet, I can agree that testing does need to happen. I am sure that there is a place somewhere that does that kind of testing for someone with a disability like he has."

"There is but most of them are for kids who had been deaf since birth. They know sign language better than Jack. At this point, testing would only be skewed by what Jack knows more than how smart he is. We can take that road when we have a better grasp of everything."

"Sam is having Jack's things, what he had as far as clothes and stuff that Jack wanted to bring with him shipped as quickly as possible. A lot of the delay was the psychiatrist wanting to work with Jack about the fact that he was going home. With the trauma he had already been through, she wanted to make sure that he was good for coming home. I couldn't...I had to either agree with her or bring him but I just..."

"I would have had you stay as well if I had known. His mental welling being is more important than anything else. Don't worry, Jessica." Aaron laid down his fork and covered Jessica's hand with his where it was laying on the table. Jessica nodded and gave him a feeble smile. The rest of the meal was mostly silent, Jack taught Aaron and Dave a few words that had to do with food as they ate before he was dismissed.

Aaron was happy that Jack had asked for seconds of the meal. Aaron had only forced his very small serving of it down for the sake of Jack seeing him eat but when the boy wanted to go play, Aaron stopped making himself eat. Jack moved to the living room to play with some toy soldiers that were on the table. Aaron had bought them the day before and had left them there for Jack to play with while Aaron and Haley had talked. It was almost like clockwork, every minute to minute and a half, Jack would look up at him, making sure that his father didn't leave him. When Dave and Jessica were done eating, Aaron moved to the living room. Aaron could hear the two of them cleaning up, but he couldn't make himself go in and help them. Instead, he watched his son play with toy soldiers. 

"He's going to need a lot of help, Aaron," Dave said his voice low as he sat on the couch beside Aaron. 

"I know that he is. I'll be calling tomorrow to see about getting him into to see on the people on the list. I don't want him to settle for the first one that I pick. I want someone that he is going to like. I'm going to talk to that man...what's his name. Sweets. Works out of the DC office. I'm not the first agent that has been targeted by an UnSub there has to be a child psychologist that works in trauma." Aaron made sure that his voice was low so that Jack wouldn't hear it. The boy was moving towards the front window. He set all of his toy soldiers on the padded bench of the window before crawling up in himself. The silence stretched, Aaron ached to hear Jack's voice again. He wanted to listen to it and to understand what was going on inside of his head. 

"What about your ex-father-in-law?"

"Jessica wants to handle him alone, but I am afraid to let her. His anger is...deep on this subject, and it doesn't matter how Haley died it will be my fault. I've been setting myself up for this conversation except it was Haley dying at Foyet's hands. Cancer took her away from Jack. Cancer."

"Look I know someone who knows sign language."

"Dave."

"No, listen. Who are Jack's favorite superheroes?"

"FBI agents."

"Yes. What do you think about an FBI agent who is mute?"

"You know an FBI agent who is mute?" Aaron asked, turning and looking at Dave. He spoke a little loud, and Jack turned to look at them. When Aaron didn't get up and come and get Jack, the boy started to play again. 

"I do. He's a good agent. The kind of analyst that goes on loan to any department as well as working his own projects. He loves paper trails from what he has said."

"How do you know him?"

"Research for that fiction book my publisher wants me to write. He's smart, and I think that Jack would like him."

"And what exactly do you want him to do with Jack?"

"He might show Jack that it's okay to be mute. Jack's scared. We both know what has caused Jack to be silent and while yes talking about it will make the boy feel better, also showing him that if he never speaks again, it's still okay. Show him that even those who can't or won't speak can still become FBI agents. Jack looks up to you and showing him a mute FBI agent will do him some good."

"You've thought a lot about this."

"Look the kid, the FBI agent kid that is, he's smart, and I can't say that I wouldn't love to see him in the unit, but he's still a ways from wanting that."

"You want him in the BAU."

"He has four Ph.D.'s, Aaron and I can't remember how many BAs and BSs. One of those is in psychology. He lectures with Alex Blake at Georgetown. The one I went to was packed. The seats, the floor, the aisles, and anywhere that someone could squeeze in. At least let him meet Jack. He might be able to help you get some help for Jack in the area. It's better than going about this blindly."

"Okay. I agree that Jack and him meeting would be good. I do not promise anything else. If Jack doesn't like him, I'm taking Jack somewhere else."

"Why don't I make plans to meet him tomorrow morning at that park that Jack loves to play soccer at?"

"Sure. I can talk with him about the best places to get help for Jack. Make sure he knows that we don't know enough sign language to talk to him without help."

"I will and don't worry. He's good at making sure that people can understand him."

Aaron wasn't sure that he liked that look on Dave's face, but Jack waved him over, and Aaron went to play with his son, so he wasn't able to interrogate the man.

* * *

Spencer still didn't understand why Rossi had got ahold of him again. Foyet was dead, the word was that the Hotchner family was headed home. Everything was back to normal for Spencer. Yet, Rossi had asked to meet him at a park. Spencer had tried to duck it, but Rossi had just stated that he would drop in on him at work and would be obnoxious. Everything was already messed up at work because it had made the rounds that Spencer's unit was the one who had found Foyet. Spencer had made sure that it wasn't talked about outside of the unit. 

Still, a park was a bizarre spot for them to meet. Other than when Rossi had come to the lecture at Georgetown, they had only talked via text. Spencer gripped his tablet tight in his hand as he scanned the people milling around the park. There were plenty of kids, there were plenty of parents watching the kids, but Rossi wasn't visible. Spencer sighed and figured that man had to be late, so he found a bench and sat down, he set down his messenger bag on the bench next to him, to save the spot for Rossi. Spencer woke up the tablet and opened up the Go game that had been started the night before with a man in Russia. 

"Jack, be careful," a voice yelled out from behind Spencer, and it made him look up to see a boy who looked to be around four kicking a soccer ball around in the broad expanse of the park but nowhere near the actual soccer fields on the far side of the park. Spencer turned his head to follow the voice to where it had come from and gasped when he saw that it was Agent Hotchner. Spencer looked back at the boy, Jack, the name was only known from the file. There had been no picture of Jack in the file, for safety's sake. There had been pictures of Agent Hotchner though. Detailed pictures of his injuries as well as his work file. Parts had been redacted, but victimology was a big part of finding out why a serial killer went after who they did. Spencer knew too much about the man's life. 

The movement just behind Agent Hotchner had Spencer looking up. Rossi was there with a tray of drinks in his hand. Spencer saw that there were three drinks in his hand. He passed one over to Agent Hotchner and took one for himself before setting the third down still in the cup holder on the bench next to him. Spencer didn't move. Why would Rossi want to talk to him with Agent Hotchner and his son there?

It wasn't until Spencer had decided that he didn't care if Rossi showed up in his unit and talked to him that Rossi even noticed that Spencer was there. Rossi waved, and before Spencer could escape, Agent Hotchner was looking at him. Spencer knew that he had two choices and really only one of them was one that he could do. If he turned around and left, his chances of getting into the BAU someday were slim to none. If he moved forwards towards them, he wouldn't be damaging his career. Rossi waved, and Spencer waved back before he pushed one foot in front of the other. 

" _Hello, Agents Hotchner and Rossi_ ," Spencer tapped out onto his tablet when he got close enough for the speakers on his tablet to be loud enough to be heard. He was able to see Agent Hotchner entirely now and was a little shocked to see him out of a suit. Spencer hadn't seen a lot of the man at work, but every single time that he did, he was in a full suit while the majority of the team wore business casual, and when it came to Rossi, sometimes just casual. 

Spencer was bewildered by the look of utter shock on Agents Hotchner's face. 

" _What can I do for you, Agent Rossi_?" Spencer did not move closer, even when Rossi held up the third cup towards him. Rossi gave him a look that he was exasperated with Spencer and set the coffee cup down on the ground. Spencer still didn't take the coffee.

"I got you one of those horribly sweet things that I heard you order at that coffee shop close to the Hoover building."

Spencer just looked at Rossi, glancing towards Agent Hotchner. Spencer wasn't looking at Agent Hotchner but wholly focused on Rossi, hoping to get him to do something, do anything really. So when the cup appeared in front of his face, Spencer jumped back. He looked at Agent Hotchner and saw that the man was grief-stricken. It wasn't hard to see it all over him. His eyes were so sad, and his whole affect was bogged down. The cup moved towards him again, just a few inches and Spencer reached out and took it. The man gave him a small smile, it didn't change his face anywhere except for his mouth. His eyes didn't shine any brighter, except with maybe tears. Agent Hotchner's forehead didn't uncrease. There was nothing to show that smile meant anything more than something that Agent Hotchner knew he wanted people to see. Profilers and their ability to understand what people wanted to see to make others see them as people. 

After making sure that when he sat down that his coffee wouldn't spill, Spencer sat down on the ground just a foot from where Rossi and Agent Hotchner's feet were. He would need both hands to use his tablet to talk to them, and standing was stupid as it would mean that he would have to hold his drink with the crook of his arm. Spencer crossed his legs and settled the drink into the crook made between his legs and settled the tablet on the valley also made by his legs. He looked at Rossi, waiting for the man to speak. 

"Dave," Agent Hotchner said. 

"Yes, yes. Aaron, this is Agent Spencer Reid. His actual department that he works for has some name that I am not bothered to remember. Reid, this is Agent Aaron Hotchner, you can call him Hotch...is your tablet programmed with that?"

" _Yes, it has been programmed with the name Hotch. I add names whenever I meet people, and it was a given that I would at some point meet other members of your team, so I made sure that all formal names, as well as nicknames, were programmed into my speech program._ "

"That's nothing less than what I would expect from you. Anyway, I am sure that you have heard the scuttlebutt around the FBI offices about what happened with the capture and death of the Boston Reaper, George Foyet."

" _There has been a lot of chatter yes._ " Spencer wasn't sure what the hell Rossi wanted him there for. Rossi was playing it like Spencer had nothing to do with taking down Foyet and Spencer were fine with that. The Director of the FBI had been the one to seal that case file and Spencer's own notes on it. Spencer understood the need for secrecy, he had no clue why the BAU wasn't allowed to know who had tracked Foyet down in the end, but he would do what he was told. Especially since he wasn't personally invested in the people of the BAU. Hell, he figured that once it was done, he would never hear from Rossi again. The man had promised to help him try and get into the BAU but promises made when friend's lives were on the line really meant nothing. Spencer had let the hope that it was a possibility enter his mind. If it had been Martin, Spencer would have promised the world to someone to save him. 

"Good. I know that the truth rarely ever goes around, but there is always a little bit of the truth in gossip. So what do you know?"

Spencer quirked an eyebrow at Rossi, asking him silently if he really wanted Spencer to answer that question. Spencer knew a lot of things, and he was pretty sure that most of them, Rossi cared nothing about.

"Let me rephrase that. What do you know about the aftermath of the Foyet case?" 

Spencer looked at Agent Hotchner and waited for him to acknowledge that he didn't care what Spencer said. Agent Hotchner's gaze was not on Spencer though, he was looking directly behind Spencer his eyes moving just slightly enough to tell Spencer that Jack was walking around behind him. When Agent Hotchner didn't look at him, Spencer decided that he should just keep his mouth shut.

" _I've not heard a lot of rumors about what has happened after. I would assume it's because Agent Hotchner is not back at work yet._ "

"You can call me Hotch, Reid." Hotch never looked at Spencer when he said the words, but his face softened a little bit from staring at his son. "And what Dave is trying to say without upsetting me is that there were a lot of consequences of sending my son into Witness Protection."

Hotch turned and finally looked at Spencer, his gaze felt like he was looking straight through Spencer and into his soul.

"Have you ever worked with children or even adults that have suffered from the traumatic loss of voice?" 

That question from Hotch shocked Spencer, he was sure that the profiler was filing away the emotions and reactions on his face and profiling him, but he didn't care. Spencer had only met a single person who had suffered from the traumatic loss of voice, and she had been an adult, and it had come after she had been horribly gang raped after a date. She had been part of a group that Spencer sometimes went to when he needed to be around those like him. The last time that he had seen her, she still hadn't got her voice back, and she had admitted that her psychologist was worried that she would never get it back.

" _I have met a single adult. Most children are sheltered by their parents and are generally not put into group therapy settings with adults if the parents seek help for them outside of ASL._ "

"Why don't they seek help?" Hotch asked, his eyes darting away before coming back to rest on Spencer's face. 

" _It's easier for the parents, mentally, to try and act like there is nothing changed. That it's just like an illness that will go away if no one mentions it. It's not the best way to handle a child like that, but they are scared. Acting like it's going to change and just go away with nothing being done does not help the afflicted children. Usually, the routine going of back to normal and more time around the family helps. Most of the time, it's just time. Time for the brain to realize that nothing is wrong anymore, for the trauma to fade. That can take years though._ " Spencer watched Hotch's face as he talked. Trying to figure out which one was traumatized mute from what had happened, whether it was the ex-wife or the child, Jack. 

The sound of thudding footsteps told Spencer that someone was running up behind him. He hunched down a little, covering his tablet from damage and making sure that his coffee didn't spill. His move did not go unnoticed by the looks on both profiler's faces, but Spencer didn't care at all. His reflexes had saved his life a few times. The boy, Jack, ran to his father and Spencer expected to hear a loud exclamation about how tired he was, or hungry, or anything at all really, but instead Spencer watched as the boy made a few careful signs. Spencer knew what the boy asked, but it seemed by the look of confusion on Hotch's face that the man didn't. That answered the question on who was mute because if the child had used sign before this, Hotch would have known what he said.

" _He's thirsty_ ," Spencer tapped out on his tablet. Jack turned around quickly and looked at Spencer as if noticing him for the first time. Jack stared at him and cocked his head. Like he was trying to figure Spencer out without someone helping him.

"Hello, my name is Jack Hotchner. Do you know sign language?" Jack asked. His fingers moved faster than they had before, testing Spencer and how quick he could read fingers.

Spencer smiled at the boy before sliding his tablet a little closer to his coffee so it wouldn't fall to the ground and lifted his hands. "My name is Spencer Reid, and I do know sign language."

Jack looked Spencer up and down a little more before his eyes settled on something at Spencer's waist. The boy darted forward before Spencer could process and grabbed something. Jack clutched it in his hand and spun around to his father. His fingers tried to sign something but with the item in his hand, he was having trouble. Hotch reached forward and took the item from his son and held it up.

"I've told you not to touch ID badges on people, Jack."

Jack just ignored his father's words and signed towards him, very quickly to where Spencer could barely understand. Still, Spencer reached down to tap out what the boy said.

" _He's excited that I'm an agent, like you, and knows sign language. It's no harm, no foul but your father is correct Jack, you shouldn't grab badges from people._ " 

Jack's body turned around, and he looked down at the tablet, seeing Spencer's fingers still resting just above it. Jack took the badge from his father and moved over to stand in front of Spencer. They were nearly eye to eye with Spencer sitting on the ground. Jack crouched and then settled on his knees, staring at the tablet. He handed the badge over, and Spencer slipped it inside of his bag, forgetting that it had even been on his person. 

"May I?" Jack asked with his fingers. Spencer turned the tablet around and let it rest in the valley between his legs. 

" _This is how I talk to those that don't understand sign language._ " Spencer tapped out the words on the screen. Jack's eyes were riveted to Spencer's fingers as he did. The boy didn't reach out to touch like most kids did, even when Spencer wasn't using it to talk at all. The tablet was a magnet to most kids Jack's age. 

"This is cool," Jack said, his fingers very careful and sure. The boy was good at sign language. Spencer wondered precisely how long he had been using it. Spencer looked up at Hotch.

"Jack, why don't you go with Uncle Dave. He'll get you one of those slush things you like from the stand across the street."

Jack nodded and looked at the tablet again before he smiled at Spencer got up to his feet and took Rossi's hand. Spencer watched them walk away before he turned back to look at Hotch. Hotch surprised him by sitting down on the ground, a little closer to Spencer, leaning back into the bench.

"Just a week into being place in WitSec, Haley, my ex-wife, died. Brain cancer that had gone undetected. My ex-sister-in-law was pulled in to take care of Jack, instead of just placing him in foster care for which I am happy for. Jack has not spoken a word since he has been told that his mother was dead. The psychologist that was placed over his care in the new city tried, but she was unable it seemed to connect to him. She got him into an ASL class and by her notes and his teacher in that class he learns the signs like a sponge. I've learned a few important words like hungry, yes, no, and other simple things. It's been a hard for me to wrap my mind around this. When Jessica showed up instead of Haley, it was hard."

" _I'm sorry for the loss of her._ " Spencer wasn't sure what else he could say on that. While she had been his ex-wife, it seemed that there were still feelings there. Spencer wasn't sure what the correct thing to say to someone who lost their ex-wife. Spencer looked over to where he could just make out Rossi and Jack across the street at the little shop that catered to the families that came to the park. Spencer had eaten there a few times when he was enjoying the weather. He really liked the sauce that they had for their hotdogs. 

"Thank you. I'm sorry that I never did the actual introduction." Hotch leaned forward some and held out his hand. "It is good to meet you."

" _I don't shake hands._ "

"Ah." Hotch looked like he wasn't shocked, which made the next words a shock to Spencer. "Germaphobe?"

" _No._ " Spencer wanted to glare at him, but he didn't. It wasn't his fault. He was still too damned new to the community. Hell, he had probably only known about his mute son for a week or two, that he was reaching out was good. " _If I didn't have my tablet, I would only have a single way of talking that wasn't pencil and paper, and that is sign language. I protect my hands at all costs because even to write I need them. I haven't shaken hands since I was five and a kid on the playground decided that he didn't like how I talked so he thought that breaking my fingers would make me talk with my voice._ "

The look on Hotch's face made Spencer want to see if he could find a trash can for the man to throw up in. Spencer wasn't going to sugar coat this. Hotch had a long road ahead of him with a son that going to be mute for who knew how long. His life was going to change, and it was going to change a lot.

Spencer only knew of Hotch's reputation around the FBI. As a father, he wasn't seen in the best light, given his adherence to the job, despite the loss of his wife. Spencer though could understand that. He had sacrificed a lot to get to where he was, and he wasn't going to let someone else rob him of it. 

"That's..." Hotch looked at a loss for words.

" _Bullies are bullies no matter their age. He was raised to not understand the differences in humans. Just like prejudice against those who have a different color of skin or different sexual preferences."_ Spencer didn't know why he said the last one. He could have left it at the color of skin, but he had to stick his foot in it.

"I have never understood it since I was a child. I was raised by a man who hated anyone for being different than him. Race, color, religion, sexuality, it didn't matter. He hated everything that wasn't powerful and white and a lawyer."

Spencer didn't know what to answer to that, so he kept silent.

"I don't know much about the mute community at all. I don't understand much at all that has to do with any of this, and I would rather reach out for help than flounder. It's not in me to not do my best, especially when it comes to my son." Hotch looked out towards where Rossi and Jack were walking back. Spencer saw that they had four drinks with them. Spencer picked up his coffee and drank it. It was just cold enough for him to be able to chug. 

" _I can help you with names and places. There is an awesome community center that caters to those with visual, auditory, or voice deformities. I can give you the address._ "

"That would be great." 

Jack sat down beside Spencer, a look of happiness on his face as he looked up at Spencer and held up the two drinks. 

"Jack wanted to get you one as well. We weren't sure if you liked blue or red and Jack likes both so whichever one you want you can have," Rossi supplied helpfully. 

"Really?" Spencer asked Jack. Jack nodded his head very quickly. He moved so much and so fast that the drinks his hand started to shake. Spencer took the blue from Jack with a smile then he took the red as well. He set them both down carefully and stood up. _Wait here. I'll be right back_.

Spencer waited for Jack to nod his agreeance before he took off running towards the place where Jack had got the drinks. He used universal sign language to point at the larger cups and the long spoons. He mimed mixing two drinks together and then spitting them back out, and the teenager running the place gladly handed over what Spencer wanted. 

When he got back to the place where Jack, Hotch, and Rossi were, Spencer sat down again and picked up both drinks, pouring them into the larger cup and using the straw to mix them around. When he poured it back out into their cups, they both had a purple drink. Spencer grabbed his tablet so that everyone could understand him. 

" _Purple is my favorite color._ " Spencer handed Jack his drink with the lid back on and straw still inside before he took a swig of his. Jack took a large drink and showed his tongue to his dad when he was done.

"You do have a purple tongue, Jack, and teeth." Hotch was smiling, and the smile at least reached his eyes a little bit that time. He looked very handsome when he smiled, Spencer thought as Spencer looked away. 

Rossi laughed. Jack beamed and took another drink of his slushie. Jack leaned into Spencer's side a little as he drank his slushie. Spencer looked at the two profilers, but they were both staring at their drinks. Spencer waited them out. 

Jack handed his drink to his father several minutes later and signed at Spencer, asking if he would ask his father if he could go play more.

"Of course, just stay in my sight, please." 

Jack nodded and took off towards where his ball was five feet away. 

" _Why do you want me here_? _Rossi could have got the information from me about places where Jack would be good to go to._ "

"I forced him to allow me to introduce you. Trust is slim in our line of work, and right now, Jack has no one that he'll trust outside of the team. You are an FBI agent, and to Jack, that means that you can be trusted. Right now that means everything to him." Rossi looked at Spencer like he was going to make Jack talk again. 

" _Why would he trust me_?" 

"Aaron is a superhero in his son's eyes, all FBI agents are. And right now I think that Jack needs a superhero FBI agent who is mute as well, to show him that it's okay to be who he is." 

Spencer pulled his hands back from the tablet. That was a lot to put on Spencer's shoulders for a kid that he had only known for under an hour, but still, Spencer turned his head to see Jack playing with the soccer ball on his own. The thought of kids, having one and raising it, had been something that Spencer hadn't thought a lot about. Not since he realized that not only was the schizophrenia that his mother had was genetic but so was the deformity that he had been born with. Spencer didn't like the chances of passing either one onto a child, much less both of them. Spencer wouldn't play Russian Roulette with a kids life. He hoped that he'd be able to find a woman who wanted to adopt or even use a sperm donor, or a male who wanted to adopt or even use a surrogate with his DNA and not Spencer's. 

Jack would play for close to a minute before looking over at his father. His eyes would dart to Rossi and even to Spencer before he went back to playing. 

" _I will agree to help him find a tutor and a school in the area that he likes. I don't mind helping him and you Agent Hotchner._ "

"Thank you. That tablet that you use to talk, what is that?" Hotch moved around to where he could look at the tablet and Spencer allowed him into his space. 

" _I had a friend who made the software, the tablet is inconsequential. It's just the best on the market at current. The transferring of the database takes some time when I get a new one, but it's worth it as sometimes on my phone or tablet the program gets a little bit laggy when I talk fast. On the laptop, I can type really fast using the software._ "

"That's great. What would the program cost?"

" _Raven doesn't sell it. The program is free to all who want to download. The version that I have is not available to the public. I think that I am five versions ahead of what is made available to the public. I'm her first test phase, but I always keep a tablet with the stable version on hand at work and when I am in the field. This is not something that Jack needs though. He needs to learn ASL and how to talk with his hands. That's going to help him more in the long run. That's going to be better for him. This program is as much a hindrance in my daily life as it is a help. When I am with my girlfriend, she doesn't like me talking to her about it. I don't know why but she sometimes seems to really hate it._ "

"That sounds...frustrating," Rossi said, chiming into the conversation.

" _Yes, well. I've taught her a little bit of sign language but not a lot so that we can talk some that way, but she doesn't seem to like it either._ "

"I would have thought that you would date within the community, as it were."

" _The non-verbal community and the non-hearing communities are not as close as one would think and while there is some overlap, those who can't hear but can speak but choose not to look down on those of us who are mute. The disability communities are just like the rest of the humans, there is prejudice everywhere._ "

"Do you know a good tutor that can help me learn ASL while teaching Jack as well?"

" _The schools should have good ones on hand for Jack. For you, given your work schedule, I think that books will be the best way to go. There are also classes that you can go to when you are home through the center I am going to send you to._ "

"That sounds good. I'll give you my personal email to send it all to. Thank you, Agent Reid."

" _You are welcome, Agent Hotchner. I am glad to help in any way that I can._ " Spencer looked at the time on his watch. He was supposed to meet Andrea for lunch, and he was already going to be late. " _I have a thing that I need to get to. I'll go say my goodbyes to Jack and Rossi. Have a good day._ "

Spencer shoved himself up to his feet, his tablet going into his bag, slipped inside of its case before he made his way over to Jack. Spencer had a short conversation with the boy about him needing to leave. Jack didn't like it, but he understood. When Spencer got to the edge of the park, he looked back to see Jack looking at him. Spencer waved, and Jack waved back. Hotch was watching Jack with a stern eye, and Spencer knew his father would do what was needed to make sure that Jack had everything that Jack needed to succeed in life, no matter when or even if he got his voice back. 


	5. July 2009

Aaron watched Jack sleep, a tumbler of scotch in his hand. The boy was frustrated, and so was Aaron. They had met with three different tutors and two local schools, and none of them fit with Jack. Jack had cried himself to sleep in Aaron's arms every night since the meet and greets had started. Aaron wasn't sure what was wrong with the boy, but he was getting to his wits end over it. 

There was also the fact that the two therapists that Jack had met with so far were less than desirable for Aaron, much less Jack. The first had wanted to meet with Jack alone, even after the boy had started to cry when the man had threatened to throw him out of the office before Aaron just left with Jack. Aaron hated that it was so hard to find Jack what he needed. Aaron was half tempted to find an adult therapist and just go with them for now because Jack needed to talk with someone that wasn't him or Jessica. 

Aaron hadn't indulged in a single drink since he had been released from the hospital and even the one he had in his hand wasn't making him happy, but it wasn't hurting him either. It was the last of what was in the apartment, and right now, Aaron didn't have plans to go out and get more. 

The new Section Chief had stopped by for a visit just hours before, interrupting dinner but Jack hadn't been eating anyway so Aaron had him go to his room with a pack of peanut butter and cheese crackers to snack on if he got hungry. 

Jack Applehorn had been known to Aaron from when he had been in SWAT. What Aaron knew of him from then and the scuttlebutt from the people that Aaron kept in contact with from his days in SWAT said that he would be a perfect Section Chief for the BAU and the IRT. Aaron was looking forward to going back to work when he had Jack settled in. Aaron was working at home on case files, he had been cleared to work again by medical and psychological doctors. In fact, Aaron had been given a stellar review by the psychologist that he had seen. Aaron had been given a copy of it from Applehorn before Aaron had left. Still, Aaron knew that he was going to be watched. 

Aaron had offered dinner to Applehorn, it wasn't much just macaroni and cheese, one of the few things that Aaron had been able to get Jack to agree to eat that wasn't sugar related. Applehorn had eaten it while they talked.

"I know that I am stepping in at a very touchy time. I would have never allowed your team to be called in to that case. We are lucky that Brannon's flesh wound on his thigh is the worst of it," Applehorn had started out the conversation.

"I would have made sure that Strauss knew where she could shove the case. As I put in my report that Dave took into work, I was going to hold her responsible if my team had lost someone."

"The higher ups are already combing through every single infraction she set against someone. From the moment that she was put into place until the moment that she left. There is already a group of section chiefs at the Hoover building going through it all."

"That's a big deal."

"The first was your jacket. Everything that Strauss had ever done to you. Morgan, JJ, Brannon, Prentiss, and Garcia are being interviewed about what happened on that college campus, and Rossi is doing the interviews with them. He's treating them better than anyone else would."

"Dave's been keeping me up to speed on things, but I didn't know that."

"He was told to keep it quiet because I was coming to see you and tell you today. For a while, I will be keeping a close eye on your team. Brannon is seriously debating his placement on it, and I would rather not have anything happen again like it did with Gideon or Greenaway."

"I don't want that either. We seem to bounce from one crisis to another. I'm glad that a new Section Chief was found quickly. That will help settle things down."

"I have the actual recording of the conversation that took place between Strauss and Agent Jareau. It's not pretty, and even Agent Jareau stated the bylaws for the BAU that make sure that teams rest between cases, especially hard psychological cases and even with the status updates that you gave over the case, I knew that the case was horrible. I would have never let the team take the case. The tertiary team was headed home after getting out to a case in California and coming home just as fast because the UnSub was killed by an almost victim just as they were landing."

"I wish that I would have been able to stop what happened after."

"I know that you are moved back into your old house, and I commend that, with all that is going on with your son. If you need anything, Hotch, just ask it. The team will be waiting for you when you return, or you can take the retirement offer that is being offered. I have the details at the office, but it's a damned good offer."

"Do I have to make a decision now?"

"Nope. It's an open-ended offer that's good from now until you use it. Jack's four right now and with all that is going on with him, six months or even two years or ten from now it could change. This offer comes from the Director himself and will never go away."

"It's a generous offer."

"I'll email it to your work email. Did Rossi bring your laptop to you to work on case files and write-ups while you are at home getting Jack settled?"

"Yes. I'll look it over and let you know as soon as possible." 

That had been four hours ago. Aaron looked at the glass of scotch in his hand and thought about the offer. He hadn't even thought about retirement. It hadn't even crossed his mind at all, but now that it was there, it was all that he could think about. Between whatever retirement the FBI offered him and his Hotchner trust fund, Aaron could live for the rest of his life and Jack's without having to work again. 

Aaron drained the last bit of the scotch and moved to wash out the tumbler in the kitchen. He stood there looking at the dishes in the drainer and the evidence of his life with Jack. Jessica was still getting things settled in the basement, but at the moment she was away for a two-day training seminar for her job. Aaron was working a little in the mornings on helping her finish what she wanted to be done to the walls. 

The chirp of Aaron's phone distracted him from his thoughts. He looked to where his phone was sitting on the table. Pushing off of the counter, Aaron grabbed the phone and unlocked it. It was from Dave. 

How are you holding up after what happened today?

Aaron chuckled. Dave was trying to not act nosy but being only a little nosy. 

** Jack's asleep for now, but I'm bracing for a nightmare at some point. I'm relaxing after Applehorn's visit. **

There was no time at all before Aaron's phone flashed again. He knew that Dave would not hesitate to jump on it since Aaron had opened the door.

And what did our new Section Chief want?

** To offer me retirement if I so wished. According to him, it's an excellent package. He also let me know about you interviewing the team about the college case that was Gideon's last as a precursor to all infractions against the team being looked at. **

The state of the BAU under Strauss's reign is being looked at hard, and there are quite a few things that are coming to light, and it's only the first day. Applehorn told me that if it weren't for you taking over a few things, the department would be a lot worse off. Why didn't you ever tell me any of this?

Aaron snorted as he looked at his phone. He moved towards the fridge and grabbed one of his bottles of water. The call of the couch was too much to resist, and Aaron sat down on it, relaxing back and propping his feet up on the coffee table. 

** There is not much to tell. A lot of it was things that she had me do, and I did it to keep the department running smoothly. Instead of making waves, I was waiting because someone was going to notice something at some point. **

Aaron frowned as he stared at his phone. He wanted to talk to someone, and it wasn't Dave. Yet, the only contact that Aaron had for Reid was email, and that just didn't seem right for what he wanted to discuss with the man. He didn't have a TTY phone in his home or access to a relay for it but if he could get Reid's cell phone number. He wondered if Dave had it.

** On a different note, Dave. Do you have a cell phone number for Reid? I had a few things I wanted his help on. **

We’ll talk work when you get back to work, but as to Reid, I won't give you his cell but I will text him and give him yours if you agree and it's up to him if he wants to text back to you.

** That sounds fine. Thank you, Dave. I have some things that I need to do at the moment, so if I don't answer, I'll get to you as soon as possible. **

Aaron set down his phone and grabbed the list of psychiatrists that he had been given by Jack's former in whatever city he and Jessica had been in. There were three names marked out with the black Sharpie. Five other names were marked out with the pen after Aaron had done research on them. The page under it was the tutor list that Aaron had been given by Reid and under that page was the schools. That list was a lot different as Aaron wasn't pushing to get that done yet. He really wanted to find a good school for Jack. 

There was a stack of papers about the school that Reid had sent him. Aaron had printed out everything that he could find on all of them, but the thing was that he kept going back to one school that was actually very close to Quantico, just over in Dumfries. New Haven was a private school with a not too bad tuition for being private and upscale like it was. The students that were part of the initial class had just graduated the year before and were scattered across the world at top schools. Five deaf kids were going there at the moment, but none were younger than fifth grade. 

Jack and Aaron had an appointment there the following morning, and Aaron was a little apprehensive because he didn't know what he was going to do if Jack didn't like the school. Aaron had taken Jack to a few others first just to build up to New Haven. 

Aaron spent the next hour going over the other schools, find a few more that he liked that could take a student like Jack for the preschool portion of the school. None of them were ones that Aaron liked, but he would make whatever Jack wanted his priority. New Haven was the top of Reid's list for Jack for the fact that every teacher knew ASL. The school was well protected and was able to run like it was due to Government grants and the fact that many movers and shakers in the DC area sent their kids there if they showed any aptitude for the sciences. 

The alert for an unknown number sending Aaron a text went off, and Aaron looked down at his phone for a few seconds before picking it up. He opened the text.

_ Agent Hotchner, this is Doctor Reid. Agent Rossi said that you wanted to talk to me. _

Aaron smiled as he read the words. It sounded very much like Reid. 

** Thank you for getting back to me quickly. Jack's having trouble talking to me about why he doesn't like any of the tutors that have come over to see him and there is not a single psychiatrist that I like that we have met yet. **

Aaron waited for words to come over the screen but nothing came over it. Aaron waited for nearly ten minutes before his phone vibrated in his hand. He unlocked it and stared at the screen.

_ This is better-done person to person. Can you text me your address or a place that you want to meet? _

Aaron thought about it for two minutes. He didn't invite many people to his house. The team had never been invited when he had been married to Haley and never invited to his apartment. Of course, all of them had been over after the attack. Aaron wasn't sure that he wanted to invite the younger man over. 

However, just as Aaron was getting ready to text Reid that they could meet up tomorrow, Jack came running out of his room and jumped right into Aaron's lap. Aaron texted Reid his address as soon as he was able to fumble his phone into his left hand. Aaron looked at the time on his phone and saw that it was just after ten. Jack should have been asleep for longer considering that he had cried himself to sleep. 

"Jack, buddy, what's wrong?" Aaron asked, but Jack just shook his head, rubbing his face all over Aaron's shirt. Aaron manipulated Jack around to where the boy was straddling his waist, his face tucked into Aaron's chest. He had a feeling that Jack had another nightmare and given the way that the boy's frame was shaking, Aaron was pretty sure that it was a bad one. 

Five minutes later, Aaron heard a knock on his door. It was a strange knock, and it took Aaron from the time that he stood up until the time that he was checking the peephole to place it as Shave and a Haircut. Aaron chuckled despite himself as he realized that it was Reid. Which was odd considering that it hadn't taken the man long at all to get to his place. Aaron opened the door just as Reid was raising his hand to knock again. Reid looked startled to see Aaron opening the door, but he covered it well so that Jack wouldn't notice. 

"Thank you for coming over. Please come in."

Jack didn't even move to look to see who it was and that worried Aaron. He just kept his head buried in Aaron's chest. Aaron went to the kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles of water out of the fridge and handed it to Reid before directing him to take a seat in one of the chairs. Reid nodded his head in thanks before he cracked the seal and took a drink. Aaron wasn't shocked to see him balancing his phone on his knee. Aaron sat down in the same spot that he had been in before Reid had got there. The paperwork on New Haven was still visible on the table, and Reid's eyes were on it. 

" _What's going on_?" Reid asked. 

Jack's entire body stiffened, and he jerked his head off of his father's chest, spinning to look at Reid. Aaron wasn't ready for his son to nearly shooting off of his lap, scrambling over the coffee table. Reid's arms shot out to catch the boy as the papers gave under his feet and he nearly face-planted. Reid pulled Jack up and into his lap his hands moving over Jack's legs and his stomach, checking him for injuries. Given how Reid had acted that day in the park, Aaron was shocked to see a move like that in his repertoire. 

As soon as Jack was settled, his hands and fingers started to move. Aaron was only catching every third to fifth word, but he could tell that Reid understood it all. After about a minute of Jack signing, Reid reached over and laid his hands on Jack's, Jack stilled. Reid signed something back to him, and Jack answered with a no. That one Aaron knew well. Reid looked at Aaron briefly and signed something back to the boy. Jack nodded his head that time. Jack slid backward off of Reid's lap before he took off running to his bedroom.

"What's going on?"

" _He had a nightmare, and it was just run of the mill that he seems to have had before. He described a lot of detail which means that he has had it before. Losing not only his mother but you and Jessica to the hands of Foyet. Or the Bad Man George as Jack calls him. He didn't go into too many details about how you all died, but I know that he needs a psychiatrist. I think I know what part of his problem is._ "

"What?" Aaron asked. 

" _Jack is young but what is your IQ_?"

"The last time that I was tested was when I went to college, and it was 150."

" _And your ex-wife_?"

"Her's was never tested, but she did well in college, and she was by no means dumb. Why?"

" _I've not talked with Jack but two times now but he understands a lot more than most kids his age should, and he is learning sign language very quickly, even with him just learning things from his Aunt Jessica at the moment_?" Reid waited for Aaron to nod before he went on. " _I see that you have a bit of information on New Haven there. It's a good school, and I think for Jack's intelligence it will be a good school for him._ "

"He hasn’t liked any of the three schools that we have looked at."

" _New Haven has tried four times to get me to come to the school and teach. As it is, I go just about every year and do a class with the learning, physical, or mental disabilities about succeeding in life. I will also help with some of the higher IQ students and help them figure out what they want to do in life so that an education plan can be made. New Haven would be good for him, and I bet that you like how close it is to Quantico and with the security._ "

"I do like the security. Would you be willing to go with us tomorrow morning? I know that it's a Saturday and I know that you really have no stake in this, but I'm worried about Jack not giving it a chance and just shutting down."

" _Let's play it by ear. I don't want to make Jack think that I'll come running whenever he wants._ " Reid's body language was off. He was upset by something, and Aaron didn't know what it was. It had been off before Aaron had brought up him going with them, but now it was even worse. 

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked. He looked back towards Jack's bedroom, and the light was still on, and he could hear noises, but he wasn't sure what those sounds were. He was sort of afraid to go and check. 

" _Jack is finding a book that he wants you to read to him for bed tonight, and he wants to sleep in your bed. He said that if he did, the monsters would stay away from his dreams and stop turning them into nightmares. Jack wants me to be his tutor and yours for ASL_."

"I didn't know that."

" _It's why he doesn't like any of the tutors or the schools. Given that it's summer, you have time to get him into a school, but he's going to fight you. You might have to make a choice based on what is best for him and not what he thinks is best._ "

"I will if I have to."

" _No, you won't. Letting Jack choose his school and his tutor outside of him and the tutor getting along is what you are going to do. He doesn't need that. Yes, what has happened is upsetting and Jack does need some control over his life, but I would suggest you visit New Haven, meet the teachers there, meet the Principal and go with what you feel is best for him. Give him the option of New Haven or one of the schools he already hates. Jack might dislike you for a few days, but he will get over it. I think that he'll like New Haven, once he's adjusted. Thankfully, he has only been in pre-school classes elsewhere because otherwise, this fight would be worse. He would expect to have that, and he's not going to get that_."

Aaron was shocked by Reid's bluntness. It reminded him a lot of Gideon and Aaron wasn't sure that it was a comparison that he should have made. He was upset with Reid for pointing out what Aaron knew would happen too. Aaron mentally applauded Reid's ability to profile him. No one else would have been able to do that except for maybe Dave. Of course, Dave knew him best in the world. Jessica might have been able to figure it all out, and he was glad that she was coming home in the morning. Aaron just hoped that she got there before they had to go to New Haven. He wanted her at his back. 

Jack came back into the room with a book in his hand. He was staring at Reid, but Reid was focused on Aaron, and Jack stopped looking at him and crawled into his father's lap after nearly a minute. Jack sat sideways in Aaron's lap so that he could look at Reid. Jack showed Aaron the book, and Aaron smiled at it. _From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler_ was part of the collection of Newbery books that Aaron had bought to read to Jack. Aaron had found ones that better fit Jack's age level and what was appropriate for the boy as well. Aaron's eyes caught Reid signing something at Jack, the boy pouted before he nodded at the genius. Spencer signed something else, and Aaron knew that he was asking about talking to someone. Aaron wasn't going to ask Reid to tell him everything. 

" _I know someone that might be the kind of therapist that Jack needs. She is not on the approved list that you have from the FBI so you will have to see about getting her clearance for the Foyet files and for Jack to be able to talk to her without reservation but I think that she would gladly sign whatever is needed. She meets with prospective students for local colleges who are below the age of eighteen. She is used to dealing with high IQ students and those that can be challenging, I think that she and Jack will get along. I'll text you her name and address of her practice._ "

"Thank you," Aaron said. 

" _I've had a long day at work and was just three blocks over at a restaurant finishing up dinner before I went home, so that's what I am going to do._ " Reid stood up and signed goodbye to Jack. Jack signed farewell back but appeared listless when he did it. Aaron looked down to see that his eyes were barely open. Aaron wrapped his arm around Jack's back and shifted him to where he could stand with Jack tucked into his body. He stepped in front of Reid to open the front door of the house. Aaron saw Reid's car parked along the street. He was shocked at what it was, an old Amazon. Aaron waited until Reid was pulling away from the curb before he stepped inside and shut the door, setting the alarm. Jack was clutching the book in his hands as Aaron started up the steps. The light was still on in Jack's room, casting the light down the stairs as Aaron climbed them. Jack hadn't asked to sleep in his bed, and even when he woke up from nightmares, Jack didn't seem to want to go to Aaron's bed. Aaron would make sure in the morning to let Jack know that it was fine that he wanted to sleep in Aaron's bed. 

* * *

Spencer stepped out into the night air. It was later than he would like given that he needed to be at work early but Spencer knew that if he called, he could come in an hour or so late, but he hated to do that. Spencer watched the traffic move before he decided that he didn't need to call a cab as one came down the street with the light lit up that it was on the clock, but the light saying that it was busy wasn't lit up. Spencer waved it down as he grabbed his phone and prepped his address for it. His car was at the Hoover Building, and he would take the bus to work the next morning. It was too late to add time by running there to get his car. 

"Where to?" the cab driver asked. He didn't look startled when an electronic voice answered him. Instead, he just started the meter and drove off. Spencer settled down into the back seat and brought up the information about the weekend plays that were going on. Spencer had a season pass to The Kennedy Center, but he went all over to see plays when he had downtime, and he hadn't gone to a play in weeks because of Andrea and his workload. A play sounded like the perfect thing for him to do the next night.

The ride was short, and before Spencer knew it, he was being pulled up to the front of the apartment. Spencer paid the driver the amount that was on the fare meter plus a tip for not making Spencer ask him to be quiet. The driver only gave his thanks as Spencer shut the cab door. 

Spencer jumped when his phone chimed. He closed his eyes, asking for strength because he was pretty sure that it was Hotch, begging for him to come with them the next day. Spencer slipped his phone into his pocket as he slid his key in the lock to open the front door. He made sure to press the door closed once he was inside. He was tired, and he didn't need a person entering after him and either robbing someone in the building or worse. 

Inside the solace of his apartment, Spencer sighed as he slung his messenger bag over the coat rack. His gun was in his office where it would stay until he grabbed it when he got ready for work the next day. He didn't like leaving it, but he did have a backup weapon in his safe in his apartment. It was a revolver, it wasn't allowed as an FBI issue except in extreme cases. Spencer didn't qualify as a special case because he wasn't a field agent. He mainly worked from Hoover and only went into the field on an as-needed basis, and even then it was with others. 

Digging his phone out of his pocket, Spencer woke the screen up and smiled as he saw that it wasn't a text from Hotch, it was from Andrea. Spencer unlocked the phone and opened up the texting app. The smile slipped from his face as he read it. Andrea wanted him to spend the night. 

Spencer flopped onto his couch, crossing his ankles, one over the other as he rested the bottom one on the arm of the couch. Curiosity chirped and jumped down from where he was sleeping on the top of one of Spencer's bookcases. The cat dashed across the room and jumped onto Spencer's stomach. Spencer huffed as the weight settled there before Curiosity moved up to love on Spencer's face, ducking under Spencer's steepled hands that were holding his phone. As soon as Curiosity's face touched Spencer, the cat started to purr. 

" _My big baby_ ," Spencer said with a smile, but he nuzzled back into Curiosity's face, let the cat scent mark him to his heart's content. Curiosity never paid attention to the phone or the tablet that actually spoke to him. It was part of why he had wanted a smarter breed, and Maine Coon's were smart. It had taken the cat sometime after Spencer had got him for the cat to get used to the fact that Spencer's mouth actually never spoke but he had never reacted badly to the phone or tablet. Spencer moved his left hand off of the phone so that he could pet down Curiosity's back, giving him love back. " _What do you think? Should I tell Andrea to come over_?"

Curiosity cocked his head to the side and stared at Spencer for a few seconds before Spencer turned the phone around with the texting app open and not the speech one, showing Andrea's face. Curiosity hunkered down on Spencer's stomach, his purring dropping lowering in pitch, showing that he wasn't happy. 

" _I don't know why you don't like her,_ " Spencer mused as he petted down his cat's back. Curiosity huffed against Spencer's cheek before turning around to where his ass was showing to Spencer with his tail raised so that Spencer saw it all. " _And there is the cheek._ " 

Spencer laughed as he pushed Curiosity around to where at least Spencer wasn't looking at the cat's butthole. He tapped the section on the phone so that his speech app would close and he could text Andrea back.

 _I had a rough day at work and got home not too long ago. I don't feel like going out right now, but I would not say no to some company._

Spencer laid his phone on his chest and waited for Andrea to text back. He used both hands to pet Curiosity who was finally purring loudly again. Curiosity walked around in a circle on Spencer's chest, not being able to decide which hand of Spencer's he liked petting him where. This was what settled Spencer down more than anything after a stressful day at work. Spencer stopped stroking Curiosity just long enough to grab his remote and turn the TV on. He pressed the power button for the DVD player as well and waited, petting Curiosity as he did, for it to load up and ask him if he wanted to start watching from where he had left off. Spencer smiled as he heard the first words that Professor Henry Higgins spoke. Spencer began to mouth the words as Curiosity moved down to Spencer's legs, flopping onto his back between Spencer's thighs so that Spencer could get to his belly. 

Spencer sat up on the couch and worked his tie loose before dropping it down onto Curiosity's belly, the cat jumped a little, but when he realized that it wasn't going to attack him, Curiosity started to play with the tie. That was the main reason that Spencer didn't like to buy expensive things all that often, the ties were Curiosity's favorite toy. Spencer worked his vest off next followed by his dress shirt, just leaving his A-shirt on. He laid back down on the couch and lifted his right arm. Before he got it all the way up, his phone chimed.

I'll be there as soon as possible, 

Andrea's text read. Spencer smiled as he read the text before laying his phone on the coffee table. He turned back to look at Curiosity, slipping his fingers of his left hand between tie and cat belly to start to play with him. Spencer turned his head to the TV and watched a few minutes of _My Fair Lady_ as he played with Curiosity. Spencer pulled his tie from Curiosity and started to dangle it over the cat's face, waiting for him to get a good hold of it with teeth and claws before pulling up until the cat had to make a choice between actually getting up or letting go. The first three times that Curiosity let it go, Spencer laughed but on the fourth time Curiosity rolled over and followed the tug all the way up to Spencer's face. 

Curiosity moved up to where his face was rubbing on Spencer's inner arm. Spencer sighed as he looked at what the cat was obsessed with rubbing against every time that Spencer wasn't wearing a long-sleeved shirt. Spencer looked at it as well. Spencer knew the words well. Even if it wasn't the written word and what his eidetic memory liked best. Even if Spencer didn't want to remember the words, the words would never be forgotten. Spencer hadn't known that the words were from a play until his first year at Caltech. Spencer had been obsessed with plays before that, but after, he had been even more. Spencer understood why his mother had kept him from seeing it when he was a child. She had been good as he'd never even heard about the play. Given that she was the primary supplier of his play watching habit before Caltech, it was easy to just never bring it up. 

That first semester at Caltech, Spencer had used the connections with the head librarian at the college to get his hands on every single recorded version of _My Fair Lady_ that he could get. It had become his favorite play from the moment that he realized that the words branded to his arm when he had been born were from it. 

Spencer let go of the tie and pushed Curiosity away from his arm. He traced the words with his fingers, saying each one in his head. _Don't talk of stars burning above; if you're in love, show me!_ Spencer felt Curiosity nose him out of the way, and the cat licked his soul mark. Spencer knew that it wasn't exactly going to be easy to figure out his soulmate given that what was on his arm was so widespread, most people knew the line. He knew that the first person to say it to him wasn't going to be his soulmate, he knew that the words would have to be said at the moment and it would be the thing that made him fall in love with whoever it was. 

Curiosity licked at the mark until Spencer lowered his arm and tucked it into his side. Spencer rolled onto that side and cradled Curiosity as he did. Spencer settled the cat against his stomach, sheltered by his arm as Spencer laid there, his eyes on the screen of the TV. Curiosity shifted to where he was on his stomach, his head resting on Spencer's forearm. The cat just laid there purring while Spencer petted his back. 

Spencer was content with his life, he liked what he did even if he didn't love it. He was happy with his apartment, it was his and his only, well it was Curiosity's, and he deigned to let the man who fed him live with him. It was a simple life, but it made Spencer happy, even if some of the friends that Spencer had stayed in contact with from Caltech didn't understand why he wasn't out there taking the world by storm. Spencer closed his eyes and just listened to the TV, his brain nearly shutting off as it played the words of the play over in his head before they were said by the actors and actresses on the screen. 

The knock startled Spencer awake, causing him to jerk and Curiosity slipped off the couch, looking back at Spencer with such a glare on his face. 

_I'm sorry, I didn't expect to fall asleep_.

Spencer typed into his phone as he grabbed it up. He flicked the volume up to its max and typed in " _Coming._ "

Spencer pushed himself up and off of the couch. There was little for Spencer to do except open the door, he realized though as he stood with it open that he hadn't put on a shirt yet. Andrea's eyes were locked on the stark black words on his underarm. Even though they had sex on several occasions since that first date, Spencer realized then that she had never seen the mark. Spencer didn't go out of his way to hide it from her, in the day to day of his life yes. He was registered with the FBI as a Marked, but given that many were it wasn't a big thing, mainly it was a mark to use to check when facial identity wasn’t able to be used. There were too many that had been ID’d that way after a catastrophe. Even if someone went out of their way to actually disfigure a mark, the exact placement and size were not the same from person to person. While there had never been a match between the scripts used by whatever bit of fate marked them between the soulmate and the mark as far as handwriting went, there was no script used the same way twice on a person, so it made for very long or very short marks. Spencer's own was shorter but still with a beautiful flowing script that flowed over three lines on his skin. The lowest line was the shortest with show me written on it. 

"What's that?" Andrea stepped up and looked at the mark on his arm, she almost seemed like she wanted to reach out and touch it.

" _I told you that I had a soulmark when we took that first walk. This is it._ "

"How have I never noticed it?"

" _I don't know. I cover it up for work and going out as it draws too much attention, but I've never covered it up when we had sex. Maybe I'm just that good_?"

Andrea laughed and looked away from the mark to look at Spencer's face. She reached up and cupped his cheek, bringing him down for a kiss. Andrea shut the door behind her and locked it, without taking her lips off of Spencer's. Spencer allowed her to direct him backward, getting him to sit down in the chair that he used for reading. She didn't sit down on his lap though. Andrea smiled before she reached down to the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over, standing there in a lacy black bra that stood out on her pale white skin. Spencer's eyes moved down expecting her to sweep her pants off when he realized that she wasn't wearing pants but a very short skirt. 

Spencer licked his lips as he thought about the fact that if she bent over, he would see her underwear. He had been tired, but now he was finding that his cock didn't think that he was that tired. He reached down to adjust himself in his pants as his cock start to thicken at the sight of Andrea doing precisely what he thought of. Except when she bent over, making a show of unstrapping her high heels from around her ankles and calves, there was no flash of black, just pale skin that moved up to ass cheeks and already wet and parted pussy lips. Spencer reached out and grabbed her hips, bringing her back to where he could touch, with more than just his hands. Spencer trailed his hands up her thighs and used his thumbs to hold her pussy lips apart as he swiped his tongue over her hole. 

"Fuck, Spencer. Yes." Andrea carefully stepped out of her high heels, and it put her just a little too low for Spencer to be able to do what he wanted, so he slid out of the chair and moved to his knees. He shifted his hands to where he could use his long fingers to tease her clit. Spencer thrust his tongue inside of her as he did it. Spencer loved this, feeling her shuddering as he tongue fucked her and hearing her moans and pants as he brought her closer and closer to orgasm.

The hardwood of the floor started to bite into Spencer's knees so he thought about where they could move this and still be able to do what he wanted once he got her off. His mind supplied the image of the apartment from the middle and Spencer's lips curled into a smile as he knew exactly where he wanted her. Spencer shifted his left hand to where he could plunge two of his fingers inside of her as he stood up.

"Spencer?" Andrea asked she turned her head to look at him, and Spencer pointed to the couch. Andrea nodded and started to move that way. Spencer kept up with his fingers inside of her, thrusting and rubbing. Andrea kneed up onto the middle of the couch and was bracing her hands on the back of the couch when Spencer brought his other hand into the action. He rubbed her clit, he twisted his hand inside of her to where he was rubbing at the same spot, inside and out and was rewarded with Andrea's arms giving out and she near collapsed against the back of the couch. Spencer pulled his fingers free and grabbed her hips, lifting her up to where she was bent over the back. He heard her arms find purchase on the stand just on the other side of the couch. When she arched her back so that he could see her pussy better, Spencer ducked back down and started to eat her out again. 

It wasn't long before she shuddered through an orgasm. Spencer flipped up her skirt bottom and shifted to where he was pressing his cock into her thigh as kept up fucking her with his fingers, two pushed inside of her, making her shake and quake as he overstimulated her. 

"Fuck. Do you have condoms out here?" Andrea asked. Spencer leaned his head down to where she could feel him shake his head against her back. "Lube?"

Spencer bit at her side nodding. 

"Do you..." Andrea stopped, and Spencer could see her bite her lip. She shot her hand back and grabbed Spencer's hand that was buried in her pussy and pulled it out. Spencer started to pull it even further back, but she held on and trailed his fingers up until the tip of his middle finger rested over her other hole. Spencer reached over into the end table that his current book was resting on. He jerked the drawer on it open and grabbed the lube there. He didn't masturbate in the living room often but enough to where he didn't want to have to get up and get lube from the bedroom that when a bottle got low in the bedroom, he'd bring it out and get a new one for the bedroom. 

Spencer pushed forward with the finger over her hole, it wet enough from her pussy that it slid inside of her easy. 

"Shit." Andrea dropped her head down, and Spencer could feel her muscles tightening around his finger as he slid it in and out of her. "Just go slow, it's been a while. I'm clean, I promise, Spencer. I'm just not good at remembering to take my pills on time, and I don't want to take chances."

Spencer pulled his finger free, and she gasped as the loss. Spencer snapped the cap on the lube open before he let a large drop fall down right onto the top of Andrea's crack. It started to slide down, and Spencer used that time to coat two of his fingers before it fell down too far. Spencer pushed those two fingers inside of her. She was still all loose-limbed from orgasm, and the fingers slid inside of her just fine. 

"You do know how to fuck like this," Andrea said as Spencer dropped the lube after coating his cock with it. He slid the lube all over his cock before using that hand to work on Andrea's clit more. He leaned forward a little more so he could slip the fingers back and tease her pussy hole. 

Pulling his fingers free of Andrea's ass, Spencer lined himself up and started to push inside of her. She was tight. Spencer carefully worked her open, pushing in a little before retreating and going back in just a little further than before. Spencer bit his lip to stop himself from letting out the rush of air of a very wrong sounding moan. He could do gasps and pants, but with his damaged vocal cords, his moan was horrid sounding with the air passing over the cords and the wrong sound that it made. Spencer shifted his knees on the couch to where he could fuck her like he wanted, pulling her hips down a little to get the angle right. 

"Spencer, please," Andrea begged as Spencer pulled out all the way. He waited there with just the head of his cock inside of her before he thrust up and inside her all the way. Andrea let her head fall onto the table again, she wasn't even trying to hold herself up. Spencer curled his hand that was playing with her clit and pushed fingers inside of her. He grabbed the back of the couch with his other hand, not caring about the mess. With a cat, he got furniture that had fabric that was easy to clean. Hairballs were not fun on furniture. "More."

Spencer started to fuck her harder, his cock moving in and out of her easily. It wasn't hard enough though. Spencer laid his head down on her back, panting into her skin. He didn't want to fuck on the floor, and the bed would be fine, but he didn't want to move that far. 

"More, I need more, Spencer."

Spencer used his messy hand to grab a notebook and pen. He pressed himself inside of her all the way and scribbled down a single word before he threw the pad onto the table. Andrea lifted up and looked at it. She nodded. Manhandling Andrea over to the arm of the couch was easy to do. She was limp with pleasure as he mounted her again. She tried to spread her legs as far as she could so that he could get even further inside of her but if she moved too much, she was going to fall off the arm. Spencer braced a hand at her hip to stop her from falling off as he settled the other on the back of the couch, fucking her as hard as he could. 

"Harder," Andrea panted, and Spencer did as she demanded. With her balanced on the arm, Spencer could fuck her harder and faster. Spencer could hear the couch scooting a little from the force of his thrusts. Shifting his hand from the arm to her hip, Spencer grabbed her tight, pulling her back just slightly on each thrust. Andrea thrust downward on each thrust, rubbing her clit against the arm. Spencer knew that she was trying to get herself off and he let her. If she did, he would fuck her until he got off himself but if she didn't before he got off, he'd make sure that she did. 

"I'm not going to be able to sit down for days without feeling this. You are bigger than any other guy I've let have my ass. Fuck, Spencer please." Andrea was still trying to rub herself, so Spencer pulled out of her just long enough to coax her onto her back. Andrea grabbed pillows and slipped one under her neck and another under back before Spencer grabbed her legs by the knees and tipped them to her chest. Andrea reached backward and braced her hands on the cushions as Spencer guided his cock back inside of her. When he was all the way inside, he grabbed her by the hips to pull her just a little towards him, hanging the edge of her ass off the arm and allowing him to piston in and out of her. 

"Don't stop," Andrea panted. 

Spencer gasped as he picked up the pace again. When he was sure of himself and his ability to hold her in place one handed, he teased his hand down her thigh before ghosting it over her clit. 

"Shit," Andrea near screamed before her body shuddered as Spencer ghosted just his thumb over her clit. Andrea's eyes closed in pleasure, and Spencer pushed down just a little more as he started to rub. Every few passes he would slip his thumb down to pass over her pussy hole and gathered the moisture there. It was his cleaner hand, not having been inside of her ass so, after another minute of fucking her and teasing her clit, he turned his hand to where he could get two fingers inside of her pussy and still get her clit with his thumb. That was all that it took, and Andrea screamed. Her entire body locked and she arched off the couch, pressing her ass down on his cock more. Spencer's fingers inside of her were trapped, and even his cock could feel the drag from tightened muscles. Spencer gasped as he came inside of her ass. His grip on her hip tightened, and Spencer hoped that he didn't leave a bruise, but if he did, he didn't think Andrea would mind. 

Spencer carefully pulled from Andrea as he felt himself soften enough to where it hopefully wouldn't hurt her, he pulled his fingers from inside of her regretfully. Andrea held out her hand, and Spencer pulled her up. She unbuttoned her skirt and let it fall to the floor before she did the same with her bra. Spencer couldn't help reaching out and tweaking still hard nipple. Andrea squirmed but didn't try and get away from him as he leaned his head down and cupped a breast to where he could lick at the nipple. Andrea gripped the back of his head and pushed him closer. 

"Do you think you could get me to come again?" Andrea asked, her voice breathless.

Spencer lapped at the nipple in response and started to push her towards the bedroom. His bed sheets needed to be changed anyway and what better reason to want to do that than to mess them up. Spencer had plans to splay her on the bed and eat her out until he was hard again and either grab a condom to fuck her pussy or have another go at her ass. First, he wanted to clean his cock off before he did. 

Andrea willingly laid herself on the bed, her feet planted on the end of it with her knees up and legs splayed. She looked like a pornstar, but Spencer didn't care. He stepped over to his closet and grabbed a tub there, finding the toy that he wanted to use on her while he was cleaning up. A little lube from the bottle at the bedside then Spencer was pressing a small but useful plug vibrator into Andrea. She gasped as her asshole flared open to accept it and then closed again. Spencer flicked the button that started it vibrating. The bendable arm that was attached was good for pressing against a cock or a clit, so Spencer pressed it down until it was just barely touching her clit. Andrea reached down, and Spencer grabbed both of her hands and pressed them into the bed at her head as he straddled her belly, looming over her. She was looking at him with half-hooded eyes. She seemed almost high, high on sex with him. 

"I'll be good if you hurry. I'll suck your cock while your toy drives me nuts."

Spencer didn't need to be told twice, he moved to the bathroom to wash up. Spencer started the water in the sink to begin to warm it up while he grabbed what he wanted to clean himself up and even a rag to take in to clean Andrea up a little. He even set out a towel set for her because they were going to shower before falling asleep. Fun sex was messy and messy sex wasn't enjoyable to fall asleep covered in. 

A sound drew Spencer's attention to the shower, and there was Curiosity, curled in the corner with Spencer's tie wrapped in his paws. He was shredding it. Spencer crouched to free the tie from his claws, but Curiosity hissed at him, baring fangs. Spencer pulled his hand back. Spencer didn't know what was wrong with Curiosity, but he hated the shower, Spencer trapped him in it to give him a bath once a month, and this was the first time that Curiosity had ever gone into it on his own. Spencer stared at his cat until the sound of the water running pushed through his brain. He'd worry about Curiosity later because right then all that it would do was get him hurt if he tried to do anything with the cat. Spencer made a mental note to see if something had happened to him in the morning after Curiosity had a chance to calm down. 

Spencer washed up quick and came back out to the bedroom to see Andrea writhing on the bed. The rest of the night was going to be fun.


	6. August 2009

Aaron knew that skipping a big entrance for his first day back, well that and not telling anyone that it was going to be his first day back, was going to upset the team. Aaron needed the time to get his head around coming back to work though. Hence why he was at work at five am. Jessica was going to take Jack to New Haven Academy in time for his lessons with the tutor, Leslie Shore, that he thankfully agreed to after a near hour of talking to. Jack was doing well with summer lessons and would be ready for pre-school come the beginning of September according to Leslie. Aaron liked her, and she got along well with Jessica. Aaron had been going to Jack's lessons over the past two weeks, and Leslie had given him a few books for him to learn to sign and to understand sign language. 

Jack's IQ was already under debate by Leslie and the rest of the teachers at New Haven. Aaron did not get into that debate, but he had been informed that by the end of the year, actual year not school year, Leslie figured that she would be able to give him the testing needed to at least get them a ballpark number to start to work on a game plan for his education. Jessica's notification to Roy about Haley's death had not gone well, especially since it had started with Jessica telling her father that she had lied to him, that she hadn't been gone for work. Jessica hadn't taken Jack with her but instead had gone alone. When she had got back, Aaron could tell that she had been crying and the only thing that Aaron could do for her was hold her while she cried that night after Jack had gone to bed. Roy wanted nothing to do with Jessica. The man hadn't been heard from since and Aaron was just bracing for him to come back with a vengeance. 

Jack hadn't asked about visiting his grandparents at all and that worried Aaron. The subject was avoided being discussed while Jack was awake but Aaron wondered if the boy had overheard something. Aaron vowed to ask Jack. It might be a topic to have Doctor Stevens ask about. Aaron was thankful that New Haven had an on-hand children psychologist that Jack had been able to bond with. In the end, even the one that Reid had suggested had not connected with Jack. Doctor Stevens though connected well with Jack, she had been a child prodigy as well. She reminded Aaron a lot of Ried. 

"Agent Hotchner?" a voice called out, and Aaron saw that it was the night shift guard. Aaron looked at the time and saw that it was past his shift.

"Bob, what are you still doing here?"

"I worked a transfer today. Took a suspect to the Hoover building for a chat with Agent Booth. When I was leaving, a young Agent stopped me and asked me to bring you a delivery. He let me look through everything, but it's just books." Bob leaned down and picked up a box. 

Aaron stood up from his desk and moved around to take them from Bob. Bob took the top book off the stack inside the box and held it up. Aaron read the title and the title of the one below. None of them were old, all were new and each one, as Aaron looked at each title, was about dealing with raising a genius child. Aaron knew exactly who it was from even though there was no note. Aaron looked at Bob.

"Thanks."

"Rumors have gone around the building that something happened with your son in WitSec. I'm not asking what's wrong with him, but I wanted to let you know that there was gossip."

"Thanks. Jack's mute, traumatic loss of voice. In trying to find him help, Dave put me in contact with Agent Reid, the agent that you met that sent the books with you."

"Well, at least the young man was known to you. I'll let you get back to work. It's good to have you back, Hotch." Bob smiled as he left and Aaron set his box of books down on the floor beside his desk, out of sight, out the purview of the others of the team when they realized that Aaron was in his office. He did pick up one of the books and set it down on his desk to look at when he needed to clear his head of paperwork. 

Dave and Morgan had done an excellent job of stepping in and taking care of things, but some papers needed to be seen over by Aaron before being filed. The first file was a disciplinary file on Brannon with a date of the day before as well as the typed resignation letter. Aaron was kind of glad then that he was surprising the team and coming back. 

Dean Brannon was a good agent, he was good at the job, but in the aftermath of the day where Foyet had attacked him, and the team was forced on a case they should not have been, Aaron had been sure that this was the outcome. Dave had kept him informed about Brannon. Thankfully, he had not gone the Greenaway route and had not become an executioner against a suspect. Instead, he had been questioning every single decision that Dave and Morgan, and according to the report, every member of the team made, including JJ with the press. Aaron was glad that Brannon was leaving the unit of his own volition. He did not want his first priority when back in the unit being that he had to transfer out Brannon. 

The resignation was just from the unit and not the FBI as a whole, so Aaron started to write up a recommendation letter for him. Brannon was a good agent, he just needed distance from the BAU to see things clearly. Brannon was already in counseling, so Aaron didn't need to put in something like that into the report write up for his leaving the unit.

"I wondered if you were going to just slip in and try and act normal," Dave said. 

Aaron looked up at him in the doorway. He said nothing. 

"The rumor mills have been working on overtime. A few have some of it right, no one has everything right." Dave stepped far enough into the office to shut the door but didn't come any closer. "I've not told the team anything, other than you were taking time off to spend with Jack post him getting out of WitSec. I know that you opted not to have a large funeral and while I am sure that there are some who know that Haley is dead, it's not common knowledge."

"Haley's parents had their own wake of sorts for her and Jessica had her cremated wherever they were. Jessica did not go to the wake the parents had. In fact, Roy and his wife have cut all ties with their daughter because of what happened."

"That's...How is Jessica taking that?"

"Like a trooper. She's been focused on getting the basement of the house set up for herself. Jessica's using as much time as she can to get herself and Jack settled in."

"How is Jack?"

"He's doing better now that he has a psychologist to talk to that he likes and he's really looking forward to preschool this fall. I am looking forward to him being in school. I've already got things set up for dropping Jack off at school on the days that I am in town, which includes bringing him here for a while. New Haven is so close. I'm thinking of setting up part of my office with a little area for him. A small desk and a chair and maybe even one of those little bean bag chairs for him to sit in if he wants to read. Jack's already excited about that, coming to work with me throughout the week."

"That means no more early days of coming into work."

"No, I'm going to be taking some work home with me at night to work on then and again in the morning. I've already had this discussion with Applehorn after I generously turned down the retirement offer."

"I didn't think that you would take it. You aren't the kind to sit at home and be lazy."

"I am not and right now while Jack does need me, he needs a father that is happy with his life."

"You don't have to explain any of it to me or anyone else really. Your life is your life, and you are doing what makes you and your son happy."

"When will the rest of the team get here?"

"About an hour and a half. Morgan and I have things covered. I come in early, he stays late for us to cover things." Dave opened the door back up and moved to sit in the chair in front of Aaron. "So Brannon is gone."

"You made sure I knew that was a possibility."

"I've already started to put out feelers. As soon as you are ready, the official notification can go through about there being a spot on the team. I know that Prentiss was added to the team in the wake of Greenaway and that it wasn't done with your knowledge. I didn't want to go through and push a new person until you were back."

"Thank you. And yes, I would rather it come from me unless I was going to be out longer. I'm going to shoo you away so that I can get some work done before the team gets here. I know that they are going to be upset that they couldn't throw me a party but I don't want a party. I don't want hugs and happy to see you. I just want to work and get back into the swing of things."

"I understand, and I'll make sure that the others understand as well." Dave stood up with a smile on his face and left the office. 

Aaron had blissful silence for three hours. The team had come and gone, each one welcoming him back with a smile before leaving, except for Garcia who hadn't entered his office yet but he knew that she was there. Aaron might have sought her out except for the fact that he knew that she was pouting. He was sure that Dave had got to her first and made sure that she knew to not overwhelm him. Aaron had never liked sharing any of his life with his team. There was the obvious that they knew he was married from his ring and Gideon had forced more out of him in public as it were as time went on and Aaron was thankful as it made the team more ready to approach him if they were having a problem. He understood the reasons behind why it was necessary, but the team didn't need to know every single aspect of his life. 

"Hotch?" Morgan called out as he stepped into the doorway of Aaron's office. Aaron looked at the time on his watch and frowned. It was just before lunch. The team was wanting to do a meal out to welcome him back to work, and Aaron had agreed to it. 

"Yes, Morgan?" Aaron asked.

"You have a visitor." Morgan looked behind him, and there was a frown on his face, so Aaron stood up from his desk and looked out. Aaron was only mildly shocked that it was Roy.

"Thank you, Morgan. Please show him up to my office." Aaron moved around his desk and shut the blinds that blocked the team being able to see into the room. He didn't need the team seeing what he was sure was going to be a fight. Aaron sat back down in his office chair and opened up the recording software on it. Aaron was going to make a recording of what he and Roy said to each other because Aaron wouldn't put it past the grief-stricken man to do something reckless. Aaron kept his eyes on the screen and opened up a file that he needed to work on so that he at least looked busy when Roy stepped into the room. Morgan pulled the door shut as he stepped out, giving Aaron a look of worry. 

"Roy, what can I do for you?" Aaron asked. His upbringing was warring with his mind in that he wasn't getting up to shake hands with the man, the man wasn't showing respect for Aaron or for Jessica, and he plainly wasn't showing respect for the memory of his now dead daughter. Aaron was only willing to go so far in giving him respect.

"I want to see Jack. My wife wants to see Jack."

"I will have someone get in contact with you about supervised visitation with Jack. You refuse to see Jessica, and I am unwilling to let Jack spend time with you alone. He's not taken his mother's death well, and I refuse to let you have time alone with him because of that."

"He's my grandson."

"And he's my son, and I won't see him harmed any more than he already has been."

"And yet, here you are. Still in this God-damned place that took my Haley away from him."

"Haley was going to die no matter where she was. I've had her files looked at by some of the best neurologists here in DC. Even her own personal doctor didn't know that she had cancer. I have report after report, and since I was still her medical power of attorney on record when she died, I was allowed to look at all of her records, pre, and post-death. There was no way that she could have ever been saved unless it had been found at least months before. Given the size and her abnormal behavior that was slowly changing her not even her sister could tell a change, it was there for years. No one caught this. Not even me. I blame myself for that but there was nothing to be done and you blaming me for it is not going to get you anywhere."

"YOU KILLED HER!" Roy shouted, and he moved closer to the desk, grabbed the vase that was at the moment empty and Aaron was happy that it was empty because he didn't want water thrown everywhere. Before Aaron could even get up out of his chair, Morgan was there with Dave not far behind him. Aaron waved his hands to calm them both down. 

"Roy, go home and calm down," Aaron said. He stood up from his desk and looked at Dave, trying to get him and Morgan to leave but neither of them did. 

"You will not tell me what to do. You will not tell me that I can't see my grandson!"

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down, or I will have you escorted from the building," Dave said using a voice that Aaron only ever heard him use around cadets and when he was giving his rare lectures in the Academy. Aaron came around his desk and tried to reach out to Roy, but the man backed up away from Aaron. 

"You have ruined my life!" Roy was yelling again, and with the door being open, everyone in the bullpen could hear him. "YOU TOOK MY DAUGHTER FROM ME. My life is ruined because of you!"

Dave nodded at someone in the bullpen, and within a few seconds, two security guards entered the room. 

"Agent Hotchner, would you like us to escort this man out?"

"Roy, are you going to calm down?" Aaron asked.

"You took my only happiness from me!"

"Yes, please be gentle. Roy is my ex-father-in-law and is not handling the death of his eldest daughter well."

"We will Agent Hotchner." 

Aaron watched as the two guards escorted Roy out, the man screamed the entire way. Only when the doors shut on the elevator did he finally go to his desk and sit down. 

"Please, Dave, make sure that he's on the not allowed inside the building alone from here on out list."

"Sure, Aaron. Morgan, go and make sure that everyone is calm. Aaron lunch is in an hour. Take the time to relax."

"I'm going down to records to do some research." Aaron grabbed his cell phone and set a time for when he needed to be back up and into the bullpen to leave for lunch on time. Aaron had a goal in mind, and it would help to clear his head a lot. Aaron had a single target for his research. Now that he was back at work, he was going to look up to the man that had slipped into Jack's life through little more than him being mute.

Almost an hour later, Aaron realized a lot of things as he looked at the digital file of Reid. For Reid's disability, he had not allowed it to stop him. Aaron had a list of degrees for the man that was more than what the BAU combined if counting Aaron's various law degrees as a single one. The man had been to every single one of the seminars hosted in the DC area by the BAU. Aaron knew that he had been in the profiling classes offered by the FBI at the Academy. The list of classes that he had gone back to take at the Academy astounded Aaron until he found his college transcripts. Reid loved to learn, it was evident in all of the classes he took in college that had nothing to do with his degrees. There was a letter scanned into Reid's file that Aaron knew the handwriting of right away. No look at the signature line was needed. It was dated from two years before Reid entered the Academy. 

Gideon had been the one to recruit Reid into the FBI. The next letter was from when Reid had been in the academy wanting to fast-track Reid through the ranks and get him in the BAU right out of the Academy. Aaron stopped. Gideon had wanted Reid for the BAU. Aaron could see why. Even without his disability, or even his speech app, there were ways to make it work. Aaron's mind went to the case in Florida where the UnSub had killed himself to hopefully stop them from finding his partner. Two weeks later, after a neighbor had called about a smell, the BAU had found the missing women, the UnSub's partner, and a dead baby in the house. DNA confirmed the baby was his and the information on the woman showed a tragic tale. That case had haunted Aaron. It hadn't been until much later that the only mistake was the team missing the UnSub had kept revealed a partner in his journals, but there were too many of the journals. Aaron thought about how quick it would have been for Reid to make his way through all of them and how fast he might have put it all together. 

Aaron moved forward in the file that was as massive as Aaron's and even Gideon's with a lot fewer years in it. Some files were closed above Aaron's clearance level. Aaron wasn't worried about those files as it apparently had to do with cases that Reid worked on for other departments. There was a lot that was above Aaron's clearance as he moved through the file. There were a lot of letters of recommendation, but Reid never applied for other jobs inside or even outside of where he was. Aaron closed out of the digital file, making a note of its number and moved onto the paper file. There was a lot less paper in it, many items referencing digital sections of Reid's file. Aaron found nothing else in it, outside of a single reference to the residence of his mother. The address told Aaron nothing, but when he researched the address on his phone, he found that it was Bennington Sanitarium. Aaron closed Reid's file and felt kind of guilty. He hadn't meant to find that out. Reid had never pushed more into Aaron's life than he needed to help Jack, even knowing Jack and Aaron for just hours but here Aaron knew something that Reid didn't want anyone to know, otherwise it would have been in his digital work file.

"Agent Hotchner, Agent Rossi called down and wanted me to remind you that lunch is soon," Melinda called out. She had been the protector of the records for years, old and set in her ways but Aaron kind of adored her.

"Thank you, I'm leaving now."

Melinda just smiled at Aaron and stared until he put Reid's file back where it belonged and straightened all the files on the shelf. Melinda reminded Aaron of a stern librarian. 

"Thank you, Agent Hotchner for leaving the records in better shape than you found them.." Melinda said nothing else but instead just turned to move back to her desk. Aaron left with a nod in her direction and tried not to wonder why Reid's mom was in a mental hospital. It was private, and Reid was a very private person, but Aaron had come to start to care for him a little, if for nothing else than making sure that Jack's friend didn't go away.

Aaron entered the bullpen from the stairs and saw that a security guard had a man in a suit standing in the middle of the bullpen. As soon as the guard saw Aaron, his eyes kind of saddened.

"This is Agent Hotchner," the guard said pointing at Aaron with his open palm. The man in the suit moved closer to Aaron and handed over a manila envelope.

"You've been served," the man said before leaving. The guard followed behind him. Aaron looked down at the papers. It was the second time that he had been served at work. This time though, he had no clue what it was about. Aaron opened up the envelope and found two packets. 

The first was him being sued for Haley's death and the second was Roy contesting Aaron's custody of Jack. 

"Dave, I'm sorry, but it seems that my welcome back lunch won't happen today. I need to go and see my lawyer. My ex-father-in-law is suing me for the death of Haley and trying to get custody of Jack." Aaron made sure that the whole team heard what was happening because this was something that affected them, he would be meeting with his lawyer a lot and due to court appearances, will be missing days at work. 

"Go. We will survive." Dave shooed Aaron up towards his office. 

Aaron hoped that his lawyer had time to meet with him. Aaron took the adage about a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer. Aaron didn't need this and Jack undoubtedly didn't as well. It was going to hurt Jessica badly, but Aaron was going to make sure that she understood that what her father did would not make Aaron hate her. Aaron was not looking forward to going home, he was not looking forward to going to see his lawyer, and he honestly hated Roy for what he was doing, and the only person that Aaron hated in his life was his own father.

* * *

Spencer was good at adapting, he knew that. He didn't hold to plans long past the first breach into them. He had learned that as a child. Change was fundamental, but with his disability, it was hard to not be adaptive. Still, what was supposed to be a date night where he was supposed to be the one to pick what they did, Andrea changed plans the night before because her friends wanted to go out and Spencer not being upset about it was one thing. The dinner was nice, Spencer had not been too upset. No one blinked an eye at the phone doing the talking for him. Several of Andrea's friends engaged Spencer in their discussions and Spencer was on his best behavior in not going into a ramble. The movie after dinner was fun as Spencer didn't go and see many actual movies. It wasn't the play that he had bought tickets for that he had ended up giving away to one of his coworkers that afternoon. 

It was the club afterward that upset Spencer more than anything. In a club, Spencer had no way of talking to someone without using a pen and paper or even just the notepad function on his phone. The group settled into a corner booth, and after ten minutes, Spencer tried to catch Andrea's attention. She was on the dance floor with two other girls from the group that Spencer was trying to forget the names of because they were vapid, shallow, and the only reason that they were there was to find a guy to fuck for the night. Spencer didn't want to have his brain filled with their names instead of other things that were actually important. 

Andrea finally came back to the table fifteen minutes after Spencer waved at her. She dropped into the seat beside him and leaned into him. 

"You should totally join us out there, Spencer. It's fun!" Andrea was already slightly tipsy, and while Spencer was drinking, he was drinking wine. 

Spencer picked up his phone and sent her a message.

_ Andrea, there is nothing here for me. I can't even talk to the other people at the table. We've had a good evening together. _

"You are going to leave?" Andrea asked, her voice about five decibels above what it needed to be for the loudness of the music in the club. The few guys at the table that were not out dancing all looked at each other and escaped. Spencer sighed and looked at Andrea. 

_ I'm not having fun. So yes, I am going to leave. You are having fun. _

"That's because you are being a stick in the mud. You need to get out here with me and dance. You'll feel better after that."

Spencer laid his phone down to reach for his drink but as he did, his hand was grabbed, and before Spencer could jerk his hand free from Andrea's hold, she was pulling him by his wrist out onto the dance floor. The girls all turned to look at him before going back to their intended targets for the night. Spencer tried to get into the music and let the music flow through him as one of his older college friends had tried to get him to learn, but it just wasn't happening. The jerky movements that he was doing were making everyone around him take a few steps back, and Spencer waited until one of the other girls caught Andrea's attention before he turned to go back to the bar for a new drink. He had not kept his eyes on his other glass of wine, and he wasn't going to trust that there wasn't something in it. 

Mike was the guy that was sitting closest to where Spencer sat down again, grabbing his phone from across the table. 

"Hey, man, Andrea said that you work for the FBI." The look on Mike's face was pity. Spencer knew that look well, but he didn't want to upset Andrea even more so he turned towards Mike, opening up the notepad function on his phone and typing into it.

 _I do work for the FBI. I'm an analyst that is currently on loan to the White Collar crimes division._ Spencer turned his phone around to where Mike could read the screen, and it wasn't until Mike's eyes flicked away from the screen that Spencer turned it back around.

"That's cool. Being on loan means that you are good at what you do. Or you really suck at it."

Spencer shrugged. 

"No, I mean it. Which is it? Are you the worst FBI agent at analysis, whatever that is, or are you the best at it?"

Spencer was saved by answering as Andrea appeared at the table. She picked up Spencer's old glass of wine and downed it before she grinned at Spencer. 

"The girls are all paired off, and I have no one else to dance with so, let's go home," Andrea said as she offered out her hand to Spencer. Spencer stood up from his seat without taking her hand in his. Spencer followed her out of the club, never looking back at anyone who they had come with. As Andrea hailed a cab, Spencer realized that the club had always been part of the plan. Andrea had wanted to take a cab to the restaurant when they had been talking of the plans, she had said it was so that they could spend time together and not have to worry about driving. He knew now though it was so that neither of them would have to drive after the club. Spencer piled into the back of the cab with Andrea and allowed her to push into in the door, her lips attaching to his. 

There were no words shared between Spencer and Andrea as the cab took them back to Andrea's apartment. Spencer frowned as they usually went back to his because of Curiosity. Spencer allowed it though because Curiosity had enough food and water to do until the morning. Spencer would just slip out of her apartment as early as he could and go home to give his cat some love. 

Andrea was acting like a horny teenager, pressing Spencer into the wall every few feet, her hand working open the zipper on his pants and stroking him as they finally landed on her floor of the apartment building. Spencer had to be the one to get her keys from her purse and unlock the door before nearly shoving her inside. As soon as the door was shut behind them, Andrea was stripping off her shirt and her skirt, she was wearing flats because she hated to dance in high heels. Andrea kicked off her shoes and grabbed Spencer by the edge of the light jacket that he was wearing, pushing him backward until he fell on the couch. Andrea straddled his lap, and Spencer could feel how wet she was already because after a few seconds of rubbing her sex on his pants, he could feel the wetness seep through his pants. 

Spencer gasped as he was drawn out of his pants and he could feel first hand how hot and wet Andrea was. Andrea ground herself on his cock as she tried to suck his lungs out through his throat. Spencer gave as good as he got though, grabbing her thighs and drawing her down onto him even harder. Only her panties were keeping him from sliding inside of her, and he was thankful. 

Andrea tipped her head back as she started to come just from rubbing off on his cock. Spencer grabbed the back of her head, tangling his hand in her hair as he cupped the underside of her breast, still in her bra and lifting it up to where he could suck on her nipple. Spencer loved this aspect of sex, losing himself in pleasuring the other person. Spencer didn't know what he would do if someone didn't like to have their primary and secondary sexual organs sucked, licked, and played with. Spencer wanted to give pleasure. 

Spencer felt the gush of wet on his cock as Andrea started to gasp and groan. Spencer pulled his mouth off of her breast and switched to the other, using his thumb to rub just enough at the wet nipple, the cloth adding extra sensation. 

"Please, more," Andrea begged so Spencer used his fingers to pull the bra down enough to get his tongue on the skin, he licked up from the underside of her breast before suckling just a little on the nipple. Andrea's body tensed, and she nearly bucked herself off of Spencer's lap. Only quick thinking on Spencer's part, dropping her breast that wasn't in his mouth and wrapping that arm around her back stopped her from falling off of him. Spencer licked up from her nipple, up her breast, and to her neck, finding her pulse point and sucking on it. Andrea writhed in his lap as he took her higher. He kept her right at the edge of orgasm, prolonging it all until she pushed his head away from her body and slipped off of his lap. 

Spencer watched her as she stumbled into her bedroom. He started to stand, intending to follow her when she yelled out at him.

"Stay there!" Andrea yelled out, so Spencer dropped back down to the couch and waited. Spencer listened to her try and find something before he heard a drawer being jerked off of its track and it's contents being dumped out. There was an exclamation of happiness, and then feet were coming towards him. Spencer watched Andrea as she dropped to her knees in front of him. She showed him the condom in her hand before she tore open the package and rolled it down his cock. Spencer expected her to stand up and straddle his lap before slowly sliding down his cock. 

Instead, Andrea leaned forward taking the head of Spencer's cock into her mouth. As her lips slowly slide down his cock, Spencer grabbed the couch cushions on either side of him, trying not to thrust up into her mouth. Spencer allowed each little pant and gasp to fall from his lips, but as Andrea bobbed on his cock, Spencer realized that she wasn't enjoying herself. Spencer reached under her chin, pulling her up and off of his cock. He grabbed his phone from where it had landed on the couch as he had fallen onto it.

" _You don't have to do that_ ," Spencer said. He didn't like to make someone do a sex act that they didn't like, even if he reciprocated on them. Andrea though instead of looking up at him, happy about doing what he asked, she looked pissed off. 

"Is my blowjob not good enough for you?"

Spencer was shocked at the venom in her voice, and he realized that he had touched on a subject that was sensitive, but there was no reason for her to treat him that way. 

" _I don't like people doing things that they don't like, and I could tell that you didn't like to give blowjobs._ "

"I can't just give you a blowjob because I want to?" Andrea grabbed Spencer's hands and pinned them down to the couch as she leaned over to take his cock into her mouth again. Spencer moved quickly, twisting his hands-free from her's and pushing away her away from him. Spencer fastened his pants and was quite happy that he had packed light that day, not having his bag. 

" _If you want to do something, you could at least act like you like what you are doing a little and not acting like you would rather be doing anything but it._ "

"Oh, because you are so fucking perfect at everything that you can't stand to get a subpar cock suck?"

" _I think that it will be better if I just left. Let you sleep off this drunkenness that is making you fight with me._ "

"That's it, run!" Andrea yelled as Spencer worked on tucking his shirt in and making himself look at least a little presentable. Andrea came towards Spencer, and he darted to the side, and she nearly fell on her face in her drunken stupor. The look on her face though was pure venom. "You can't even fucking enjoy a blowjob, you have to be so buttoned up. You won't even show pleasure when a woman has her mouth wrapped around your cock."

Spencer looked at Andrea, and in that instant, he realized what she had been trying to do. She was no better than the bullies who would kick him and keep on kicking, trying to get him to scream when he was younger, except she was using sex. She thought that if she fucked him well enough, she'd cure whatever was wrong with him. 

" _I think it's best if I leave. You can't cure me with sex, Andrea. I was born without the ability to talk, and nothing can fix that. Not sex and not the best blowjob in the world. We are over. It was fun while it lasted, but I figured out tonight that you will never accept me for who I am and what I can and can't do._ " Spencer slipped his phone into his pocket and moved towards the door. He heard the growl of frustration and turned to make sure that she wasn't following him when he saw that Andrea had picked up a vase and was getting ready to throw it at him. Spencer moved quicker, shutting the door just as the vase impacted with the door. Spencer kept his hand on the knob and waited, she did not try and follow him. 

Spencer knew that he jumped into bed too soon with the people that he liked, building false intimacy because his method of communication put up barriers, but Spencer had thought that Andrea was more accepting and she understood that he wasn't a thing that needed to be fixed. As Spencer exited the building, he saw that it was too late for the buses that would take him straight home, but he could ride around on one for a few hours and get where he needed to go. Spencer walked the seven blocks to the bus stop and waited for the bus to arrive. As he did, Spencer thought about the fact that he wasn't ever going to find someone who accepted him for who he was. 

There was not a large wholly mute community in DC, or at least Spencer had never found a person who was mute that he could stand to be around for more than a few minutes. Spencer hadn't found a non-hearing person that could stand him for long periods of time. 

As the bus pulled up to pick him up, Spencer swore off dating. He'd be fine with just him and Curiosity and his job. Spencer sat down in one of the front seats and closed his eyes, tipping his head back to rest on the back of the seat. He hoped that no one would bother him, he didn't feel like talking to anyone really. Spencer spent the entire hour and a half ride home thinking about what theater he wanted to get a set of season tickets for. He was going to have a lot more free time on his hands, and he needed to fill it, plays and opera sounded like an excellent way to go. He might even take a few weekend trips to New York and see something that was on Broadway. 

Spencer let himself into his apartment and Curiosity was right there on the back of the couch, as soon as he saw Spencer, he started to chirp at him. Spencer tossed his phone onto the stand just inside the door along with his keys and picked up Curiosity, cuddling his cat close. Spencer thought that at least when Curiosity left him, it wouldn't be of the cat's wants, time killed all things. Spencer wandered into his bedroom, looking at the bed and deciding that maybe it was time for a new mattress or even a whole new bed. Spencer set Curiosity down on the bed before he moved to change. A quick shower to get the smell of the club and Andrea off of him and Spencer was ready to go to sleep and at least catch a little bit of sleep before he woke up. 

Curiosity was sitting exactly where Spencer had set him when he exited the bathroom dressed in his sleep pants. Curiosity was looking at him with a sad look on his face. 

"You never liked her anyway, I should have known that you were a perfect judge of character," Spencer signed to the cat. Spencer knew that Curiosity couldn't understand him, but sometimes he felt better just talking to the cat, even in sign language. A byproduct of him living alone for way too long he knew. Still, Spencer moved and picked up Curiosity, enjoying the warmth of the cat on his bare chest. Spencer moved to the living room and settled onto the couch, after grabbing his phone. He was guaranteed the weekend off, but he felt like maybe he should send an email to his boss to let them know that if something came up that Spencer could help with, he would. Spencer nixed that, he needed the weekend to get his head on straight. Curiosity shifted around on Spencer's chest until he found the perfect position, the same one that he always did. Spencer buried his hand in his cat's fur and closed his eyes, willing sleep to take him quickly. 

* * *

The sound of his phone chirping woke Spencer from a thankfully dreamless sleep. He blinked in the bright morning sun and debated just ignoring the text message. It wasn't anyone of his friends because it was his general text sound. But he was too nice, and Spencer grabbed his cell phone, only disturbing Curiosity a little. The cat was still asleep on his chest, nearly covering the entire thing and that was why he slept without a shirt when he slept on the couch, he always got too warm when Curiosity rested on him, and if the cat left in the middle of the night, Spencer had a blanket ready. 

Spencer shifted his glasses back to the regular position and looked at his phone. He frowned when he saw who it was. Spencer didn't open the texting function though. Instead, he opened the ringtones and found the one that he wanted to use for Hotch. 

** Jack and I had a rough night, he's feeling a little under the weather due to a cold, and I hoped that maybe you could come over and join us for brunch. I understand if you have plans, but I do really good at fried potatoes and cheesy potatoes. I can do bacon or sausage or both if you want both. If none of that sounds good, I can make anything you want. **

The text read that there was more going on than just Jack being a little under the weather. The boy had been doing a lot better at communicating with his father and his aunt, but Spencer knew that he was a child and a child that was hurting and nothing was making it better. Spencer spending most of the morning and part of the early afternoon with the Hotchners didn't sound like it would be a bad thing at all. So Spencer tapped in the box to send his reply.

_ Brunch sounds wonderful. I had a late night and relaxing, and not cooking sounds perfect. _

** It'll be ready around one. Do you have a meat preference? **

_ I love bacon and sausage so either one or both will be fine. _

Spencer set his phone down and worked on waking up Curiosity so that he could get up with no injuries. Curiosity took his sweet time waking up, stretching but curling up again and Spencer hated to move him. Instead, Spencer just kept petting him on his side until the purring was so loud that it echoed around the apartment then he stopped. Curiosity's head popped up and started to look around. When his eyes settled on Spencer, he stretched again, and this time when he was done, he shifted up to where he was sitting on his butt in the middle of Spencer's chest, his face rubbing against Spencer's. Spencer gave him several minutes of attention, petting him and even rubbing at his sides before he curled his arms around Curiosity and sat up. Curiosity's claws popped out a little but not enough to hurt Spencer, but when he realized that Spencer wasn't going to let him fall, the claws disappeared. 

_Silly cat,_ Spencer thought as he moved to the kitchen. He glanced at the clock and realized that he was going to be late if he didn't get a move on. Spencer set Curiosity down on the counter in the only area he was allowed to be on. He turned the tap water on, and the cat leaned over and drank his fill from the running tap before Spencer stuck the coffee carafe under it and filled it, adding it to the coffee pot. Spencer opened his cabinet that was full of coffees and chose the most expensive that he had and set it to brew while he popped into the shower. 

Feeling at least a little more awake when he left the shower, Spencer dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. It was from his Caltech days and wasn't the best shirt that he owned but he wanted comfort, and this shirt was it. He had been given one in his preteen size when Spencer had first started at the college. He had worn it nearly all the time when he wasn't in class so when Spencer had finally left the school Spencer had gone through three other sizes of the shirt and had bought another that was a little larger so that he could fit into it after he had finished growing. Spencer had modified it as the sleeves were a little long, so he had opened the seams at the wrist and reinforced them so that there were thumb holes there. The cuff of the shirt covered his palms, and in the cooler weather of DC, Spencer enjoyed the warmth it gave him. 

Spencer moved to the kitchen and prepared a cup of coffee, drinking it all the way down before making a second cup before he filled his overly large travel mug with the rest of the coffee and prepared it, slipping the lid on so it would stay warm. Spencer finished his regular morning routine of washing out Curiosity's water bowl and giving him fresh before refilling his food bowl. He drained his second cup of coffee, feeling the caffeine finally start to wake him up more. 

Curiosity ignored Spencer in favor of his food, and so Spencer took that as his cue to leave. Spencer grabbed his messenger bag along with the tablet that he knew was fully charged. Spencer was almost done shutting his door when he realized that his coffee was still in the kitchen. Spencer ran back inside and grabbed it and made it outside before his alarm was fully set. He didn't relish calling the company and telling them that he had forgotten his coffee again and set it off. It had been three months since he had done it, the longest stretch that he had gone without doing it. He was sure that there was a sign in the office that worked the DC area with his name attached to it and a daily changed number of days and it said something about X many days since a coffee incident. That thought made Spencer chuckle to himself.

Spencer took the elevator down into the underground parking garage for the apartment and looked at his car before making the decision that he didn't feel like driving. Spencer settled at the bus stop, opening up his book in his bag and reading. It was early still for the buses to be running a lot through his area so Spencer knew that he would have time to get some reading in. As he heard the hydraulic hiss of the door, Spencer pulled his bus card from where he had slipped it into the book. Spencer tapped it on the area where it went and smiled at the driver. He would have to swap buses twice to get to Hotch's house. So Spencer sat down on the front-most seat, the driver knew him well enough to not engage him in conversation. 

Counting the stops wasn't hard for someone like Spencer when the next to last stop was completed, Spencer slipped his book under his arm and stood up, there was a crowd of people at Spencer's stop, so he didn't need to pull the chain. Spencer patted the driver on the shoulder, smiling at him as he got off. The man gave him a thumbs up. Spencer moved two blocks away from that stop to catch the next bus and then it was just a few stops before he had to swap busses again. This time there were seven stops between it and the one that would drop him off a block away from Hotch's house. 

As Spencer rounded the corner of the block that Hotch's house was on, he pulled his phone out of his bag as he heard it chirp. When he looked at the time, Spencer realized that he had looked at the time wrong in his apartment and he was over an hour early for brunch at Hotch's. Spencer slowed his walk. There wasn't a lot that Spencer would find interesting to do in the area around the house, and if he went anywhere that would hold his attention, he would possibly be late. Spencer stood stock still and stared at the house, trying to decide what to do when his choice was taken from him. The sound of running feet heading towards him had Spencer looking around, and he saw Jack coming from the backyard, running full tilt at Spencer. Hotch was standing at the backyard gate, Spencer hadn't even realized that they had been outside in the back. 

"Spencer, come and play," Jack signed, his little fingers moving so fast. Spencer smiled at Jack, and when the younger boy held out his hand for Spencer to take, Spencer couldn't say no. Jack tugged on him, and Spencer allowed himself to be dragged into the backyard of Hotch's house. 

"I'm sorry," Spencer signed at Hotch as soon as Jack let go of his hand. "I looked at the clock in my apartment wrong and thought I was going to be late not over an hour early."

"It's fine, Reid. Jack saw you, and he couldn't get the gate open, so I had to open it. You can hang out here with him instead of me having to bring him inside when I start to cut the potatoes." 

"I don't think that I should be the one to stay outside with him. I'd rather cut potatoes." Spencer knew that most kids didn't like him and Jack would figure that out soon. He did not want to have the kid hate him. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't understand all of that. I'm getting better at sign language, but I am not that good."

Spencer dug out his tablet and laid it on the wooden picnic table setting it so that he could type and the speaker wasn't muffled by being on the table. Spencer was happy with his newest case for the tablet. 

" _I said that I don't think that I should be the one to be outside with Jack. I'd rather cut potatoes._ "

"But you are a guest and if you don't want to be alone with Jack that is fine but I won't allow you to help me cook for you."

"Why?" Spencer asked, going back to signing. 

"I wasn't raised to allow guests to do work inside of my house." Hotch gave Spencer a smile that said that Hotch got into that with people before and that Hotch usually won. "Jack isn't going to need much in the way of watching. I just haven't quite relaxed enough yet to allow him out of the eyesight of an adult yet. You can sit and read or do whatever you want. I'll check on the two of you. The window above the sink has a perfect view of the backyard."

Spencer looked over at where Jack was and saw that the boy was having fun playing in the sandbox. Spencer allowed the statistics on the cleanliness of sandboxes in neighborhoods like this to himself, but he nodded at Hotch. The man gave him a quick smile, and Spencer knew that it was the same smile that he pasted on for everything and everyone. There was nothing personal to it. Spencer wondered if after everything that had happened if it was the only smile that he could muster up. Spencer wouldn't be shocked. Hotch passed by Spencer as he headed into the kitchen and Spencer froze when he felt a hand land on his shoulder and squeeze. The man said nothing else to him as he disappeared from sight. 

There was a light breeze, but the weather promised to be hot as time passed in the day, Spencer pushed up the sleeves of his shirt and looked at Jack again. The boy was content by himself. Spencer watched him as he drank his coffee. Jack wasn't like other kids that Spencer had been around for long periods of time. Beside his traumatic muteness, Jack still didn't act like other kids. He looked up to make sure that Spencer was there, but he was content to entertain himself. 

"Haley and I both had siblings, but we had our share of friends that were only children, and we saw other kids from friends of ours who needed attention every single second of them being awake. Even from when he was able to crawl, we taught him to entertain himself and use his imagination. I've watched him build and tear down castles for up to five hours before," Hotch said as he came out a while later. He had two mugs in his hand. He set one down in front of Spencer, and Spencer knew that it wasn't coffee. There was a scent wafting up in the air that Spencer couldn't place. He knew that it was tea, but it wasn't just the regular tea or even just a strong black. 

"What is this?" Spencer asked, pointing at the cup.

"Tea. It's a blend of Earl Grey that one of my coworkers gave to me. I find that in the aftermath of my injury, sometimes in the afternoon and evening my stomach can't handle coffee, so I carry tea with me now. I think that she said that it had lavender as well as the normal bergamot. I watched you finish off what I assume was coffee, and you look nervous enough already that I think that if you get much more coffee inside of yourself, you might vibrate through the ground." That smile that was fake was plastered on Hotch's face again. 

"Actually, it's impossible to vibrate enough to slip through anything much less the ground below my feet." Spencer reached out and grabbed his tablet, knowing that to tell Hotch about it accurately, he would need it. 

"You mean that abilities like the X-Men have are not possible?" Hotch asked, and it took a few seconds of Spencer staring at him to figure out that the man was joking. Spencer ducked his head down not able to take the look that Hotch was giving him. 

"I don't think you want a lecture on what is factual and what is not when it comes to the X-Men." Spencer kept his head down as he signed at Hotch.

"Not at the moment I do not, but at some other point I would have a lot of fun discussing various superheroes and their abilities, factual or not. Jack has an affinity for superheroes, so I have read up on a lot of the newer ones." Hotch laid a hand on Spencer's shoulder again before he stood up and moved closer to Jack. Spencer could barely hear the man say something to his son, Jack nodded and made a big deal about brushing off his hands, and after getting up off of his knees, he cleaned off what sand he could before stepping out of the sandbox. Spencer watched as Hotch picked the lid up and laid it on the top. There were several sharp sounds of locks shutting, and Spencer realized that the sandbox was handmade, snaps kept the lid on it, and he saw a trap being thrown over the top of it and then it was hooked at the four corners to stakes in the ground, keeping water out of the box. Spencer smiled because that was a sandbox that he wouldn't mind playing in with Hotch making sure that the neighbor animals and wildlife were kept out of it and wouldn't use it for a receptacle for their waste. 

Spencer took a drink of his tea and nearly spit it out when Jack stepped onto the little back porch area and started to strip out of his clothes. Spencer diverted his eyes away from the scene, looking down into the depths of his tea. He wasn't going to look up until he was sure that Jack was clothed again or just wholly gone from sight. 

"Reid, I'm going to give Jack a bath real quick. Feel free to wander inside as soon as you want. I'll be starting the eggs as soon as I am done," Hotch called out, and Spencer waved a hand at the man, sighing as he heard the back door slide shut. Spencer looked up to see that the clothes that Jack had been wearing were laying over the back of one of the deck chairs that were in the shade of the roof of the porch. There was only a pair of pants and a shirt, so it was obvious that it was play clothes and the boy had taken them off to make sure that no sand got into the house. Spencer remembered his childhood, sand was a non-entity. It got everywhere no matter what one did so playing in the sand didn't have the same issue that it did here. Spencer remembered picnics with his mom in the desert after his father had left. 

A large umbrella was used to keep the sun off of them so that they wouldn't burn and they would spend as long as they could out in the fresh air taking turns reading to each other or just sitting and reading silently to themselves. Spencer rubbed his chest and the ache in his heart. 

Spencer took another sip of his tea before he stood up, setting the mug on top of his travel mug to be able to open the door. He made sure that his bag wasn't going to fall down off of his shoulder even as he reached out for the door handle to slide the glass open. 

Less than ten minutes after Spencer sat down at the table in the kitchen, the sound of bare feet near running on the floor told Spencer that Jack was done with his bath. Spencer kept his head down just in case the boy was naked again but as a flash of red and blue passed by Spencer looked and saw that he was dressed in Spider-man clothes. Hotch was behind only a single spot on his shirt that was wet to say that he had been bathing a child. 

"How do you like your tea?" 

Spencer took a sip and smiled at him. 

"You were so worked up that I thought that more caffeine would be bad but I only have juice other than coffee so I thought that a cup of tea would be good."

Spencer mouthed the word thanks to Hotch, and it wasn't until Hotch was looking at him like he had grown another head that Spencer realized what he had done. Spencer ducked his head again, but Hotch said nothing at all just turned towards the stove. Spencer waited until Jack was coming towards him with a coloring book and crayons.

"Will you color with me?" Jack signed after he had set down his burden. Jack slid the second book over towards him, and Spencer realized that it was a lot more detailed than a kid's coloring book would be. Spencer opened it up and looked at what was already done inside and realized that it was the one that Hotch used when coloring with Jack. A pencil box full of colored pencils was scooted over next. 

"Sure." Spencer found a picture in the middle that was a mandala that he could already see how he wanted it to look like when it was done. Spencer dug through the pencils and found them to be of excellent quality. Spencer was finishing picking his colors when he felt a hand on his side pushing. Spencer leaned back in his chair, and Jack crawled up into his lap, sitting with his legs draped on either side of Spencer's right leg. Spencer wrapped his right arm around Jack on instinct, holding the boy in place. Jack did nothing but start to pick out a color from his box of crayons. Jack began to color, and Spencer just stared at him for what felt like minutes before he looked at Hotch.

Hotch was paying attention to cracking eggs before he started to whisk them. Spencer turned his eyes to the drawing in front of him and moved his chosen pencil to his left hand before he began to color in the areas that he wanted to be that color. Spencer made himself not look up because he didn't want to know what Hotch thought about the way that they were sitting. No child, no matter if they were a younger cousin from Spencer's distant relatives ever wanted to be around him much less sit in his lap. 

Jack spent the entire time that they were all waiting for brunch to be served sitting in Spencer's lap and coloring. Hotch said nothing about it, even when he set down Spencer and Jack's plates. Jack's was set in front of him with a glass of what looked like a cranberry like juice while Spencer got orange juice. Jack cleaned up his book and his crayons, setting them in the seat beside him while Spencer slipped his pencils back into the case they were in and closed the book. As soon as he did, Hotch grabbed the two things and set them on the little island in the middle of the kitchen.

"I could have got my own food," Spencer pointed out. 

"It's no big deal. I gave Jack the amounts that he eats typically and then split the rest up among us. He might steal a bit or two of bacon from your plate but other than that, if you don't eat it all, it's okay. 

"Are you a bacon thief?" Spencer asked Jack as the boy shoved a bite of eggs into his mouth. Jack nodded his head up and down very quickly, and if Spencer didn't know what the human body could endure, he would have sworn that his head would have popped off. 

Hotch laughed at his son's antics. The rest of the meal was silent, Jack eating his food and asking his father if he could be excused when he was done. Jack moved to the living room, playing with something on the coffee table.

"What did you need me for?" Spencer asked. Jack seemed to be okay.

"He's not feeling well with the cold, and he was getting frustrated with my inability to understand all of his words. The one sentence that he was painstaking in making me understand was that you would understand him. He refused to take the medication that I wanted to give him last night until his coughing got so bad that he begged for it. I want to understand why he doesn't want to take medicine. He's never balked at taking things before. From his mom or me. I really don't want to call his psychologist as she is on vacation before school starts."

Spencer pulled his tablet from his bag where he had stored it after finishing with it outside. 

" _This will be easier to talk to you. Did this start while Jack was away from you?_ " Spencer typed out carefully on the tablet, making sure the volume was down.

"Yes, and I called Jessica and asked her about it, and she's not had to give him anything so whatever it was started after he left here after I was attacked and before she got to him."

" _You mentioned cancer, and I know those mood problems were a part of the symptoms but would, or should I say, could your ex-wife have used things like Benadryl to make him sleep? If he was causing a problem._ " Spencer hated asking, but the look on Hotch's face said that he hadn't thought about that before and it was dawning on him that maybe he should have. 

"Jack, come here please," Hotch called out. 

Jack set down whatever he was playing with and came into the kitchen. Hotch shoved his empty brunch plate back from his seat, and Spencer grabbed it as well as Jack's and his own to at least put in the sink. Hotch picked Jack up and set him down on the spot in front of him on the table so that they were kind of looking eye to eye. 

"Jack, why won't you take the medicine that you need to feel better?" Hotch asked. 

Spencer heard nothing, so he turned around to see Jack looking at him and signing something. What the boy said kind of broke his heart.

"Mommy gave me pills and said that they would make me sleepy and then when I woke up we would be on vacation. We weren't. We were in the bad place, and mommy took them one night. I watched her, and she never woke up again."

"Reid?" Hotch asked, but his tone said that he understood enough of what Jack had said that he looked distraught. 

Spencer debated for several seconds whether he should try and use sign language to get Hotch to understand or just use his tablet. In the end, he decided his tablet. Spencer moved back to the table and sat down.

" _Haley took sleeping pills the night that her cancer killed her. Jack was given some kind of sleeping pill to take him away from here, probably to keep him calm. He doesn't like the medications that make him sleepy, and most children's cold medicines make them very sleepy. If you would like, I can help you find pills that won't make him sleepy, even if it's adult medication that's cut down to be dosed for kids until you can get ahold of his primary care physician._ "

"Thank you. I will see about finding some of those in the store, and we can go from there. I can text you?" Hotch seemed a lot calmer than he had been, now that he fully understood what was wrong with his son. Spencer nodded his answer and closed his tablet. He didn't know how long he should stay. What he was there for was done, he had eaten, and as far as Spencer could tell there was no reason that he couldn't leave. 

Spencer pointed at the door, and Hotch held out a hand for him to wait. 

"Jack, why don't you go dig your soccer ball from the bush, and we can see about kicking it around the yard for a while."

Jack nodded and jumped off of the table before going outside. Hotch moved to stand by the door, watching his son. 

"Thank you. I'll make sure to talk to Jack's psychologist about this, and we can work around medication. If I can't find something that won't make him drowsy, I'll text you. Thank you. You really don't understand how much this has helped. I don't know if him not feeling well was just making him cranky, or he's getting fed up with not being able to make me understand." 

Spencer smiled at Hotch, not wanting to get into how hard it can be when a grown-up can't or won't understand what one is saying when one is a child. Spencer had been there as a child as well. The only difference was that Hotch cared that he couldn't understand and tried his hardest to make sure that Jack was being heard. Spencer grabbed his bag from the chair, drained his tea and moved to slip it into the sink. On the way back through he grabbed his travel mug and started towards the front door.

"Reid," Hotch called out. 

Spencer turned around and looked at him. 

"When you got here earlier, I could tell you were upset. If you want to talk about it, I don't mind listening."

Spencer shrugged and waved it off. He lifted his bag up to slip the strap over his head. When he was done, he looked up at Hotch to see the man reaching out to him. Hotch's hand landed on Spencer's shoulder, heavy and warm. It wasn't quite a look that Spencer would expect Hotch to give Jack but it was a glare, and Spencer caved. He pulled his cell phone out.

" _My girlfriend and I broke up last night._ "

"I'm sorry. I know that's rough."

Spencer shrugged and started to type again. " _I'm used to it. Everyone has an issue with me at some point. Either I'm not disabled enough for their liking, or I am not normal enough, or they can't take the fact that I am nonverbal. There is also the fact that I am too damaged from my disability for most normal people to cope with._ "

Spencer didn't realize what he had said until he took in the look on Hotch's face. The man looked like he didn't know what to say. Spencer ducked his head and pulled back out of the hold of Hotch's hand, and Spencer didn't stop moving until he was at the end of the block. Spencer didn't look back at the house even though he really wanted to. Spencer didn't know what he would have done if he had seen a look of pity on Hotch's face. Spencer didn't know what he was thinking telling him that. Spencer had never told anyone that aspect of his life. Even his mom. He never cried on her shoulder about how different he was. 

The trip home was a blur. Spencer didn't really pay attention to what he was doing, but he knew he was home when he heard Curiosity chirp at him and come running. Spencer picked him up and moved to the little office he set up in the secondary room in the apartment. Spencer grabbed the paperwork that he had printed out weeks ago. Spencer signed his name and dated it before he sealed it. Spencer remembered the address that he had looked up for the Academy and made sure that his printing of the address was perfect. 

Whenever Rossi was ready to see about fulfilling his part of getting Spencer at least a shot on the team, Spencer was ready.


	7. October 2009

Aaron looked at the calendar and realized that it was October. He knew that it had been October for nine days, but it was the full realization that it had been over two months since Brannon had resigned from the team and still there was not a replacement for him. The last had left in the middle of the case, he had been unable to deal with the kidnapping and death of seven kids with an eighth having been kidnapped but not yet dead. There were less and fewer applications coming in from agents that Aaron didn't consider cannon fodder right off the bat. 

Being on the job and seeing many burn out, Aaron was getting better at picking out the ones that would be like Gideon or Greenaway. Still, it was hard to do it from things written on paper. Aaron liked to meet the prospective agents and go from there. 

"You know if you keep staying this late, your son is going to stage a rebellion," Dave said as he entered Aaron's office and took a seat on Aaron's couch, forcing Aaron up and off of his desk so that he wouldn't have to talk loud across the room. Aaron snagged his tumbler of scotch as he passed, Aaron had only poured a half of a finger, wanting the sharp taste more than the feel of the alcohol in his system. 

"My son is currently having a pizza night out with Jessica. I think, at Chuck E. Cheese. His hands were moving way too fast when Jessica picked him up after she got off of work. Besides, I would rather stay late tonight than this Friday."

"He's doing well at New Haven?"

"Jack's happier there than he was at that little preschool that Haley took him to visit before everything happened. He's flourishing there, and there are a lot of older students who know sign language as it's one of the secondary languages offered there and many take it and Spanish from what Jessica told me so many of the kids can talk to him, even though he's a baby according to the seniors. Also, I'm learning that Jack is near absorbing Sign Language. He's learning more words in a day than I can."

"Are you afraid that with him learning sign language and not having a struggle that he won't ever regain his voice?" 

"No. I don't think so. I agree with the assessment of it being because Jack doesn't feel safe, even now at home, he's scared he's going to lose me or Jessica or any number of things. He'll get it back when he's ready and not before."

"You are holding a lot on the faith that it's all that is wrong."

"I've also learned that there is nothing wrong with my son. I accept him for who he is because anything less is me turning into my father and I won't do that. If he truly never speaks a word for the rest of his life, I'll be content if he grows up happy and healthy."

Dave looked at Aaron like he had never seen him before. Aaron though just stared back at him, waiting for him to make a comment.

"I think that's the first time that you had ever admitted that your father disliked you when you were growing up."

Aaron still didn't say anything about it. He had never needed to admit anything about his life growing up. The team did not need to know, and Aaron did well enough at making sure that he stayed unbiased when cases with abusive parents came up. 

"I came in here for a reason, and it's work related, but I had to ask about Jack. If you are content with the way that things are going with him and you both are happy, I'll keep my mouth shut." Dave took a drink of the tumbler that he had in his hand before he looked into it for a second before draining it. "We need a permanent team member. This thing where we swap one person for another and sometimes we have someone and sometimes we don't isn't working."

"I know Dave, but I can't make a perfect candidate fall into our lap. This is a voluntary unit."

"How do you feel about me bringing in someone on a single case basis? No one else need know who they are and if they don't do well and they don't do good on the case, nothing else needs to be said or done, and they will go back to their unit?"

Aaron glared at Dave for a few seconds, gender-neutral pronouns were not uncommon in Dave's musings like that, but usually, he slipped up which meant that he was trying his hardest to make sure that he didn't slip up.

"When can they meet with the team and me?"

"I can talk to them tomorrow and have them come around."

"Well, we are going to be working on some cold cases tomorrow. I had JJ pull a few. It's from days where it was the BSU. Why don't you bring him around near the end of the day and we can see how he does with a cold case before we jump them into an active one. Then if he does fine, three cases trial."

"I'll bring them around close to the end of the day," Dave said with a smile on his face. Aaron frowned because Aaron using a male pronoun did not trip Dave up. 

"Good night, Dave. I'll head home and leave the pile of resumes and jackets for another day." 

"Will you have time to join Jessica and Jack at Chuck E. Cheese?"

"I don't know." Aaron drained his last few sips of scotch before he moved to his desk to slip the glass back into it. He'd clean it out in the morning. He grabbed his things and walked out of the office before Dave had even left it. In the elevator down to the parking garage, Aaron texted Jessica. A message popped up just as he was sitting down in the car. They were still at Chuck E. Cheese, and she would place an order for pizza for him and distract Jack and make sure that Aaron arriving was a surprise. 

Putting Jack to bed that night was hard for Aaron because the boy wouldn't stop talking about his day at school. Aaron hated making him sleep, but he knew that Jack needed it. Jack finally fell asleep with his hands still moving as his eyes closed. Aaron couldn't help but stare at him for nearly an hour as he slept. He meant what he told Dave, as long as Jack was happy and healthy, he didn't care if the boy never spoke again.

"You know that he's not going to magically disappear on your right?" Jessica asked, her voice barely in a whisper but it startled Aaron all the same. He looked into the dark hallway and saw her standing there. She was in a pair of thin sleep pants and an oversized T-shirt. She must have come out of her part of the house to talk to him and found him not in the living room like he usually was after Jack went to bed. 

"No, but I hate missing even a single minute of seeing him like this. He fell asleep telling me all about school. He used to do that on the weekends that I had him. Reid was right when he said that Jack was still the same boy that I knew just one part of him has changed. I love him just as he is."

"And that is why he's going to get his voice back when he's ready, but still he is going to get it back. He just needs some normalcy for a while. It might be a new normalcy but still."

"I'll pick Jack up from school tomorrow and bring him back to the office with me. We are working on cold cases, and I finally found a desk for my office today when I was looking online. Anderson is going to pick it up in the morning. I think Jack is going to love it. I already have the beanbag chair in my office for him. Now with the desk, I don't mind having him spend all night with me if I have to stay past five." Aaron looked down at Jack, pressing a kiss to the young boy's forehead. Jack shuffled around in his sleep, but he smiled. When he was sure that Jack wasn't waking up, Aaron got up off the bed and stepped out of the room. Jessica was right outside, a smile on her face.

"He's going to enjoy that. He has a session after school ends tomorrow."

"That's fine. Dave is bringing in a trial agent. We are going to go over a cold case before we take them out on an actual case."

"I know that you've talked about how hard it's been to find a replacement for Brannon. Do you think this new one will work?"

"I have no clue. I don't even know who he or she is. Dave's being secretive and I know that he would have told me if I had pushed him, but I just don't feel like it. I wouldn't care if it was a monkey as long as he or she gets along with the team and help contribute something to cases."

"You need the team to settle down so you can settle down." Jessica linked her arm with Aaron's and pulled him down into the living room. Aaron didn't fight her. He knew not to fight the Brooks' women on things like this. However, when she pushed him down to sit in front of the couch instead of on it, he started to fight a little, but a swift but gentle kick to the back of his knee had him dropping down to sit with his legs stretched out in front of him. Jessica sat behind him on the couch, her hands going to his back, on top of his shirt.

"Jessica," Aaron warned.

"I know. Haley told me that you never really liked to have your shirt off to get a back rub but Aaron even after spending this evening with Jack, your muscles are tight. I won't go under the shirt." Jessica's fingers were soft, just caressing his back with the dress shirt still on him. 

Aaron sat ramrod straight as her hands just moved back and forth across his shoulders. He didn't fight her, but he didn't relax either. When she didn't stop and didn't go under his dress shirt, Aaron relaxed a little, but there were too many clothes between the skin and her hands, so Aaron worked on unbuttoning his dress shirt and pulled it off. He still had his undershirt on, and he couldn't help but tense again as her hands landed on his newly revealed shirt. Jessica made a humming noise before she started to scratch just lightly. She moved her hands in circles that made no sense but it didn't allow Aaron to anticipate anything and his body relaxed even without his permission. 

Before he knew it, Aaron was curling his legs up to his chest and laying his head on his knees, relaxed entirely under her hands. She had touched him more than anyone else, outside of Jack, had in years. Aaron didn't like people touching his back. He never had. Aaron knew that what his father had done to him as a kid and a teenager had scarred him and he didn't want people seeing the scars. Even at the height of their relationship, Aaron never showed his back to Haley. When they showered, he kept his back away from her eyes, washing it himself. She'd never questioned it and never fought about it, even though he'd scrub her back, but he never allowed her to do his. 

"See this isn't so bad is it?" Jessica asked as she finally started to dig her fingers into his flesh. Aaron hummed in agreement. This wasn't that bad as long as she didn't push it. He knew that he should feel weird but he had massaged her shoulders after she'd been working in her basement rooms, so this was just an extension of that. Aaron wasn't even sure that he had it in him to want her sexually. He'd always cared for and had come to love her like a sister. Jessica was pretty, but to Aaron, it was abstract, like when one looked at a painting or an animal. 

Aaron didn't realize that he had fallen asleep until he began to fall to the side.. He had meant to get a shower in before he went to bed, but now the thought of doing that made him exhausted.

"Thank you," Aaron whispered. Jessica leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"You’re welcome. Now I think it's time for both of us to go to bed. I won't go in until late so I'll take Jack into school before going to the office to finish up everything to get my office here setup. Then you can pick him up when he's done."

"Sounds good." Aaron pushed himself up to his feet, and as he rolled his shoulders, he realized that she was right that he had needed the massage. His shoulders didn't feel so tight, and he felt really good. He might have to set up an appointment with a masseuse in the area that he liked. He might even contact the physical therapist that he had used after he had been stabbed to see if they knew anybody. Aaron might have hated them when he had been under their thumb, but he did know that they had helped him a lot in the long run. Jessica slipped down into the basement while Aaron went up to his room. Aaron did something that he hadn't done in a long time when he went to change into a pair of pants to sleep in. He opened the bathroom door so that he could see the mirror on it and looked in the mirror over the sink. He could see the faint scars that were crisscrossed all over his back. The worst was a thin one on Aaron's upper back that he remembered had been the only time that his father had ever taken a knife to him. Aaron had never understood why his father had done that and he didn't think that he ever would. Aaron had been sixteen when it had happened, and not long after, his father had been dead. 

Aaron shut off the light to the bathroom and forced his eyes away from the mirror and made himself lay down in bed. Aaron expected nightmares that night, but nothing came. It was for once a peaceful sleep. 

* * *

Aaron was hanging up after a phone call with Garrett of the IRT when he heard Dave's voice. Dave had left over an hour before to get the trial agent that he wanted to try on the team. Aaron stayed seated in his chair as he listened for the voice of the person to waft up into his office but nothing came. Aaron wondered how scared the person was. 

"Now, this is Aaron's office, and the rest of the team is in the round table room. That's where we will go next. I think it's time that you met them."

There was silence again, and Aaron finally stood up from his seat as Dave and the person started up the steps, it wasn't until Dave pulled the agent into Aaron's office that Aaron realized why he couldn't hear the agent, the agent wasn't speaking. It was also then, and the look on Reid's face, that Aaron realized that Dave had told Reid nothing of why he was there. Reid was looking around like a kid at a zoo. 

"Reid, welcome to the BAU," Aaron said as he waved at the younger man. Reid waved back. "Did you bring your phone or better yet your tablet with you?"

Reid dug into his ever-present messenger bag and pulled out both items. 

"Good. Good. Now as Dave said, you'll be meeting the team in a few minutes, but first I think that you need to know why you are here, don't you think Dave?"

"I'm not here to talk with Jack?" Reid looked at Dave like the man had personally offended him. 

"Yes, Dave, what exactly did you tell Reid?"

"He asked me if he was needed to talk to Jack and I kind of didn't answer him and let him just think that. I wanted him to meet the team with no pressure on either side. I see though that plan didn't go past its first stage."

"Reid, Dave brought you here to give you a three case trial for being the newest member of the team. I assume that you do actually want to be on the team and Dave's not forcing this, right?"

Reid nodded his head, and for a few seconds, Spencer was acting like Jack, his youthfulness pushing past the agent exterior that Aaron was used to seeing. Reid's eyes tracked over to where Jack's backpack was.

"Jack's with Agent Anderson I think raiding the snack machine on the eighth floor. According to Anderson, the snacks on that floor are better." Aaron saw Reid's mouth quirk into a half smile before Aaron looked at Dave. "I expect to see the normal paperwork on my desk tomorrow morning."

"Of course, now everyone is in the room." Dave left Reid standing in the doorway to Aaron's office and moved into the roundtable room with no words. Aaron took pity on the man and motioned for him to turn around. Aaron stepped up with him as they both exited the office all the way and it was second nature to lay his hand on Reid's shoulder, to help ground him and to show the team that Aaron at least agreed with this on a trial basis. Aaron knew that the muteness was going to be a hurdle, but it was one that was worth getting over if Reid was good at what he did.

"Team, this is Doctor Spencer Reid, he's from the Hoover building and will be joining us as a trial agent for the next three cases."

"Hello," Morgan and Prentiss said at the same time that Garcia and JJ said "Hi."

Spencer slipped his tablet into his bag and tapped on his phone. " _Hello._ "

Garcia's eyes widened while the rest of the team's mouths fell open. It was evident that Spencer's phone had spoken for him. Aaron started to say something when Reid pulled away from him. Aaron followed Reid's gaze and saw that he was looking at the case that was on the board. Morgan stood up and moved to turn the board away from Reid's eyes, but Reid darted forward his phone clattering to the table top beside where Aaron had been working. Reid's mouth was moving, but of course, no words were coming out. He pulled a free chair out and laid his bag on it before pulling his tablet out. The case lid was flipped open and then he tapped at the screen for a few seconds before it started to speak for him. 

" _Were any of the suspects at the time teachers_?"

"No," Dave answered as he took a seat and motioned for Morgan to do the same. Reid frowned and looked back at the board. All that was up was pictures of the crime scenes where the women had been killed and their bodies left for their families to find. The final two had been murdered in backyards and not inside the houses, meaning that the women had tried to escape as soon as they realized that they were going to die.

"Hotch?" Morgan asked.

Before Aaron could say anything, Reid turned and looked at the files scattered across the table. 

" _Who has the files on the victims_?" Reid's eyes roved over the faces of the team until Morgan raise his hand. " _Good, Agent Morgan, were any of the families in the middle of a remodel or buying another house_?"

"All of the families were in the middle of moving houses or buying a new house." 

" _Can we go there_?" Reid asked. 

"What?" JJ asked.

" _I need more data than what we have here and going to the city will give me more up to date data or data that matches the time period that we need._ "

"Hotch?" Prentiss asked, and she looked at Reid like she was looking at an UnSub.

"We don't have another active case at the moment, and I would rather try and do a cold case with Reid for his first case than a truly active one."

" _I don't think that the UnSub is inactive or dormant at all._ "

"What?" Aaron and Dave asked at the same time. Dave looked at Aaron before he left the room. Aaron moved over to see if he could see what Reid was seeing but he couldn't. 

" _Not of his own choice. I'm missing something I can't figure it out._ "

Reid moved to the table and sat down in the chair that he had set his bag in. He was sitting in the front half of the seat and grabbed the files that were right in front of him, and he started to flip through them. The team was watching him with a barely disguised look of minor horror on their face. Reid devoured each of the files that were related to the case which was a lot of them. 

When Reid was done, he looked up at the team and saw that they were all staring at him. He tapped at his tablet. 

_"I have an IQ of one hundred and eighty-seven, an eidetic memory, and a reading speed of twenty thousand words per minute._ " There was no way that Reid had typed all of that with the few taps that he had done, so it had to have been programmed into the tablet. 

"Where the hell have you been all of our lives?" Prentiss asked, trying to break the tension in the room but Reid just looked at her with a confused look on his face. 

" _I have been at the Hoover building since I graduated the academy, before that I have no reason to tell you where I was._ "

"Reid, she meant that someone with an IQ and abilities like yours would have been a boon to the team before now," Dave said as he entered the room again. Reid looked at him still like he didn't understand but he said nothing. "By the time that we get to the airfield, the jet will be ready. Jack's already agreed that we could take until Friday afternoon to work with the newbie."

"Then let's get our bags. Wheels up in fifteen," Aaron said as he turned from the room to hopefully waylay Anderson. Jack was not in Aaron's office, and as Aaron was turning towards the stairs Anderson and Jack had gone down earlier, Jack was now coming up them. Jack saw Aaron first and then looked at the rest of the team. The bag of chips in his hands was dropped, and he ran forward towards them. Reid thankfully was present enough to put his tablet into his bag and crouch as Jack hit the top steps. Morgan almost ran into Reid, looking down at the younger man like he didn't understand what was going on just as Jack nearly jumped onto Reid. Reid wrapped his arms around Jack and hugged him tight before leaning back and signing at him. His hands were still going too fast for Aaron to read so he didn't even try. 

"Reid has helped me with Jack on a few occasions when I needed help to understand my son. He is also the reason that Jack got into New Haven on such short notice, even despite his muteness."

The look on Morgan's face was priceless as he watched Reid and Jack communicating with their fingers and hands. Aaron was loathe to stop them as Jack looked very happy, but before Aaron could step up, Jack turned and found Anderson right there with his bag of chips and the agent led Jack into Aaron's office. 

"I'll stay with him, Hotch until Jessica gets here. I got enough of what Agent Reid said to understand that you have a case?"

"Yes, thank you." Aaron nodded towards his office. "You can use my office to help keep a closer eye on Jack. I'll text Jessica as soon as I get to the jet."

"I can see why Jack knows some fascinating and formal words now." Anderson smiled at Reid and gave him a wave and signed his name at Reid before he went into Aaron's office. Aaron had been shocked that Anderson knew at least the alphabet and some words in ASL, but it had been nice when Jack did come to the office.

"We need to get going, Reid do you have a go bag ready? If not we have a budget for picking up items given that sometimes, even though we fly private, not everything is always loaded properly."

" _I do have a bag in the trunk of my car. Even my cases sometimes needed me to travel. I do need to get ahold of someone to come over and check on Curiosity._ "

"You can do that on the jet. You will be confined to the station for right now unless I am able to take you to dump sites. It's standard for all trial agents."

" _Yes, that's fine._ " 

Aaron watched as Dave escorted Reid out, talking to him as he did. 

"Hotch," Morgan said as Aaron started down the steps. Aaron turned back to look at him. "If he's good at what we do, I don't care about his...muteness?" Morgan posted the ending like a question.

"Yes. Reid's just mute, not deaf. His phone and tablet do well with talking for him, but he does know sign language as you have seen. He's been an agent since he was legally able to go to the academy. After this case, we can all discuss anything else more."

There was nothing else that needed to be said. Morgan moved to his desk while JJ proceeded to her office. Prentiss hung back, but Aaron knew that she was going to be okay with it all. Aaron looked at Garcia. 

"I'll text you his phone number so that you two can talk."

"Thank you, Hotch. I'll be ready to go by the time that you guys land."

* * *

Spencer settled down into the seat on the jet that was open. He had been the last one on it. Spencer fastened the seatbelt and hoped that no one sat across from him. Hotch and Rossi were seated around the table while Agents Jareau and Morgan were seated just behind them at the open set of seats. Agent Prentiss was sitting to their side across the aisle. Spencer was sitting as far from them as he could get as he pulled out his tablet and wedged it between his leg and the arm of the chair. He would need it while the team went over the case as it stood. Spencer wasn't even sure that he would be able to actually help find the killer, but maybe he could help steer them in the right direction. 

The chime of a text on his phone had Spencer digging around inside of his bag for the device. He saw that it was from Raven and that as soon as he could, he needed to update the word database on his phone. Spencer added that to his list of things to do once he was connected to Wi-Fi somewhere. 

_ Alex, can you check on Curiosity every night for a few days? _

Spencer slipped his phone between his legs as he heard the doors shut and the pilots got ready for takeoff. Spencer was thankful that he was a good flyer. He didn't mind flying, and sometimes he really liked it, the hum of people around him was soothing. This was the first time that Spencer had flown on a private jet though. For other cases that he worked on, he flew commercial. He understood why the BAU had a jet though, they logged too many hours flying and going by commercial air would hinder their ability to discuss the case in a meaningful manner which meant that up to six hours of time between getting the case and landing would be wasted. 

During takeoff, Spencer felt his phone vibrate, and he didn't even try and pick it up. Instead, he looked at who was going to be his team for at least a few weeks while Hotch decided if he should become a full-time member of the team. Everyone that Spencer could see was relaxed and settled. Hotch was looking at something in a case file while Prentiss was just staring out the window. He couldn't see enough of Morgan or Jareau to know what they were doing, but they weren't moving. The jet leveled off, and a minute and a half after that the seatbelt sign light disappeared. 

Spencer unhooked his seatbelt before he lifted his phone to read the text.

Sure. I called your office. James is in town, and he wanted to go out to dinner. Should I beg off for you?

_ I'm headed to Texas for a cold case with the BAU. _

Spencer didn't know what she was going to say to that. Alex knew of his want to join the team and his refusal of Gideon getting him on the team right out of the Academy. She worried though about the pressure as well as issues to due to his muteness.

I'm shocked, Spencer. I didn't know that you had put your resume in for the opening on the team.

_ Rossi has wanted to get me on the team for a little bit, and I sent him the resume and application directly and left it up to him to give it to Hotch. _

This has to do with the case that you can't talk about, doesn't it?

_ Yes. _

Just be careful.

_ I'll be at the station and only go to the dumpsites with Hotch. _

I hope they will let you stay in a hotel.

Spencer smiled despite what was going on because he knew that it was Alex's way of showing him that she wasn't upset.

_ I can always sleep under whatever table is in the room the BAU is given. _

A smile was all that Spencer got back from that one, and he closed the texting function on the phone and looked at the rest of the jet. Everyone was talking silently. Spencer didn't know if he should get up and move closer or just wait. He was the outsider, so he stayed where he was, choosing to do a little reading on his tablet. 

"Reid," Hotch called out over ten minutes later. 

Spencer looked up to see that Rossi was seated on the couch with Morgan and that JJ and Prentiss were no longer in their seats. Hotch was standing up and waved him over. Spencer slipped his shoulder strap over his head and set the bag on the seat beside him. He left his cell phone where it was and instead just brought the tablet with him. 

"I don't know if you would prefer the window or aisle seat."

Spencer didn't use his tablet to answer but instead just slipped into the seat that was by the window. Hotch settled in beside him. Spencer looked up to see Jareau and Prentiss across from them. 

"If you'll let me see your tablet I can get it setup for accessing the jet's wifi," Jareau said, holding her hand out. Spencer handed over his tablet after unlocking it. She tapped away at the device, and after it was handed back, Spencer saw that it was connected to the Wi-Fi. Spencer frowned at his tablet as it started to download the update without him telling it to. Raven only ever did that if something big was up. 

"My talking app is updating. I won't be able to use it. Paper and pen?" Spencer asked Hotch.

"Sure. Dave always has extra of those with him. Dave your notebook and your non-fancy pen." 

Rossi stood up and didn’t question Hotch as he grabbed what Hotch asked him to. It was slid over to Spencer as soon as Dave sat down again. Spencer listened to the team talked about that case, not contributing anything and just listening. Spencer worked better at listening to everyone else and getting their opinions or even their way of interpreting the situation and then giving his advice. It had nothing to do with his muteness and just the way that his brain worked.

The case was old, and no one but Gideon had worked on it. He was sure that Rossi had been there for Gideon to bounce his ideas off of but only Gideon's thoughts on the case were written down. Spencer had read those when they had been in the round table room. What Spencer needed was as many angles as he could get to help his brain figure out what it was that he was seeing, but he just couldn't put it into words. 

Notes were jotted down, and when Garcia came up on the laptop screen, Spencer gave her a smile and a wave before he went back to his notes. 

"None of the officers that worked the case are in the area. A few have died job-related deaths while another was killed in a fishing accident and the rest no longer live in the area but the current chief has gathered all the files that they have. Detective Kormack who was the lead never quit working on the case. He worked on it once a year, see if he could find what he had missed the first time."

"Thank you, Garcia."

"The hotel closest to the station and the dump sites only has three rooms. So we can either double up, or I can find another hotel."

"Doubling up is fine. I'll room with Reid."

Spencer didn't look up at Hotch's words. Spencer had never slept in a room with someone that wasn't his mother since the Academy, and even then it was more than one person. Spencer tried not to think about the fact that he would be sharing a bathroom with someone, he would have to be nice in the morning. It wasn't just that, but for the moment Hotch was his boss. He was going to be sharing a room with his boss. They were going to be getting to Texas just late enough in the day that going to the crime scenes and dump sites were going to have to wait until morning. 

"We can go right to the hotel, JJ. It's going to be after ten by the time that we actually arrive. We can start fresh in the morning and get some sleep in."

With that being the end of the discussion on the case, the rest of the team wandered away from the seats and started to work on other things. Spencer had no clue what, but he had a case file to type up, so he began to work on it on his tablet. 

"Would you do better on a laptop? You can use that one if it's work related." Hotch's fingers pointed at the laptop that Garcia's bubbly face had been on. 

Spencer signed his thanks and closed his file before emailing it to himself. He found the email program and logged Morgan out of it before logging himself into it.

"It's a communal computer. It stays on the jet just for communicating with Garcia and not having to use someone's phone. So feel free to log anyone out of anything. Even YouTube." There was a small smile on Hotch's face as he said it even though his eyes never left the papers that were in front of him. Hotch leaned forward, setting the papers down and started to write on it. "Does your phone need to be updated as well?"

Spencer nodded, not removing his fingers from the keyboard as he started to type out everything that he needed for the paperwork he needed to finish. He barely paid attention as Hotch got up and retrieved Spencer's bag, setting on the table between them. He started to write something on the edge of the notebook that Spencer had been using and then turned it around to face him. 

"Eidetic, meaning if you read it, you'll remember it. That's the password for the Wi-Fi on the jet. That way you can log your phone onto it and update it as well. Also if you are okay with it, you can download it to the laptop. That way you can use it. I watched the footage of that lecture you gave to the Academy about a year ago, you do well at using a laptop to talk as well."

" _Some things are easier on a laptop as compared to a tablet, especially if I am talking for a long time or I can't use the shortcuts that help me on a phone or tablet._ "

"You need anything to do this job, and I'll make sure that you have it."

" _Thanks, Hotch. I think that for right now I am set._ "

Hotch nodded and turned back to his paperwork. The rest of the flight was silent. Spencer could feel the stress of the day wearing him out as the jet descended down onto the airstrip in Texas. Spencer wasn't shocked that Hotch waited until everyone else got off before he stood up from his seat and therefore allowed Spencer to get off as well. 

"Hotch, Chinese?" Morgan called out. 

"Sure. Reid is Chinese fine with you?" Hotch asked.

Spencer started to nod, but Rossi laughed.

"I know that it's fine with him. I even know what he'll get. So, Morgan why don't we go and get it. We can drop it off at their room for them." Rossi clasped Morgan on the shoulder and directed him towards one of the two waiting SUVs. Jareau and Prentiss looked at Rossi and Spencer. Spencer though was glaring at the man. That was not exactly the kind of thing that was going to look good once the team started to think about it. It screamed of a relationship that wasn't there. Just because Rossi had bribed him with meals to work on the Foyet case didn't mean that he was a close friend. 

Spencer moved towards the SUV that Morgan and Rossi weren't getting in. He watched as Hotch and Jareau walked towards where he was getting into the SUV, Prentiss was following Rossi and Morgan. 

"Reid," Hotch said when he got into the driver's seat, and Spencer looked up at him from where he had chosen to sit in the backseat. Jareau sat down in the other front seat. "Rossi doesn't mean anything by it. It's just the way that he is."

Spencer shrugged. He knew that he could tell the team exactly why Rossi knew what Chinese food that he liked but that would mean explaining the case, and it was still locked. Spencer's part in the Foyet case was not supposed to be known. Of course, if Hotch asked, Spencer probably would not lie about the fact that he had been the one to track down Foyet and Spencer would not say he's sorry for not contacting the BAU. There was no way that the team would have been pulled from the case that they were on and all it would have done was give Foyet time to escape. The SUV stopped in what was a police parking spot for the hotel. Spencer looked and saw that it was a nice hotel. Better than he would have expected.

"JJ, go ahead and get us all checked in. I'm going to check in with the Chief of Police and then be in."

"Sure, Hotch." Jareau left the SUV without another word, and Spencer wasn't sure if he was to go with her or stay with Hotch. Spencer looked at Hotch while the man was dialing a phone number before he decided that he could at least get out of the SUV. Then Spencer could play on his tablet for a few minutes to make it look like he was staying busy. With a hand on the door handle, Spencer started to turn only to stop when he felt a hand on his knee. Spencer turned to look at Hotch.

"Stay here for a moment, please." 

Spencer nodded, dropping his hand from the handle. He pulled his phone from the inside pocket on his bag and checked if he had any messages. He hadn't checked it since he had got off the jet. There was a picture of Curiosity from Alex. 

The first of many I am sure since you are going to rock and start to be gone from home more.

Spencer smiled at the picture and saved the image so that he could make it his phone background. Curiosity had dug out a shirt of Spencer's from his hamper and was laying on it, stretched out across the floor. Spencer tuned out the conversation with the Chief of Police and just focused on checking his personal email. He would have to talk to his professors about the classes that he was taking. He'd already been told that if he started to travel more for work that he could still take the classes and just do most of it from a distance. He was in the middle of reading over a peer review on his newest paper when he heard Hotch's goodbye to the Chief. Spencer closed out of the article and looked at him.

"I know that this was all very sudden, but I just wanted to make sure that you are fine with all of this. I know that you were kind of swept along with it all." Hotch looked a little upset, so Spencer just gave him a big smile and set down his phone to give two thumbs up. Hotch smiled back at him, but it was his work smile, grim and somber. Spencer didn't realize how much of a difference there was in the Hotch that he had got used to being around with Jack and the Unit Chief Hotch. 

"Is everything fine at home?"

Spencer picked up his phone again and held up the picture for Hotch to see. 

"Is that...Curiosity? Is that a cat?" Hotch's mouth was quirked in a smile that was closer to the Jack kind of smile than the work one.

"Maine Coon cat," Spencer signed. He backed out of the texting function and opened up his pictures. He had always made sure his photographs of Curiosity were transferred from phone to phone. Spencer leaned over towards Hotch and waited for the man to lean in before he clicked on the first, right after he got Curiosity. He had been so small and had grown so big over the years of Spencer having him. 

"How big will he get?" Hotch asked he reached out to hold the phone for Spencer so that he could sign. Spencer pressed a little closer so that he could still reach the phone, his shoulder pushing against Hotch's. 

Spencer smiled thanks at him before he started to sign. "He can get up to eighteen pounds if he is not overweight any, but he does have growing left to go. Not much but still. They grow until their fifth year."

"Well, he looks like a big baby. Who do you have watching him?"

"Checking on him and a woman that I do lectures for at Georgetown. Oh!" Spencer kept on swiping and found the picture that he was looking for. He pointed at her face.

"Alex Blake. When you talk to her next, please tell her Hi for me. I've not seen her in years."

Spencer nodded and took his phone from Hotch. One handed he mimed going up, and Hotch nodded. Spencer opened his door and slipped out, making sure that his messenger bag was secure before picking up his Go-Bag from where he had stashed it at his feet. Spencer fumbled with putting up his phone for a second before he felt his Go-Bag lift out of his hands. He looked at Hotch with a frown on his face.

"Let's not have you break your phone on your first case."

As soon as Spencer got his phone settled, Hotch handed the bag back over. Spencer wrapped both of his hands around the strap and waited for Hotch to start moving before he followed. Jareau was waiting for them at the front desk, her cell phone out like she had just got off of it. 

"The families of the three main detectives who were on the case allowed other officers to go into their houses and look for personal notes on the cases. So I had one of them head this way with them. I figured that it would give Reid something to work on tonight and in the morning. I know that my first case I was too nervous to really sleep."

Spencer nodded his thanks.

"I'll wait for him down here then. JJ, go ahead up and show Reid which room is ours. Reid if you want to shower while you are waiting go ahead. I prefer to shower in the morning after I get a run in. Does this facility have a gym?"

"Yes, and I have the nighttime access card for it for you Hotch." JJ handed that over as well as another card to him. "And your card is keyed to open everyone else's rooms as well."

"That's fine."

Spencer followed JJ up to the rooms, the elevator ride was thankfully short since it was silent. Spencer knew that it would take time for the members of the team to get used to him. After a case to prove himself and then just two more and if he showed that he was good at this, he would be on the team. That was his goal.

* * *

Areas changed and what had once been a good neighborhood was now rundown, and Spencer was reasonably sure several of the houses were crack houses. There had been something up with Hotch when they had woke up, so Spencer had been quite happy when the man had gone down for a run. Spencer had used that time to make coffee on the coffee pot in the room before getting dressed and ready for the day. The clothes were thankfully light enough that Spencer wasn't going to drown in sweat. The weather actually felt really nice to Spencer. He had decided that a long sleeved dress shirt with an A-shirt under was the way to go with a light jacket if he really needed was stuffed into his messenger bag to be left in one of the SUVs for that night if they worked that long. 

Hotch and Rossi were letting Spencer have the walk of each of the kill sites and the area where the victim was staged. The both of them hung back and only engaged Spencer when he asked a question or was ready to leave to go to the next. 

On the fourth kill site though, Spencer heard them start to talk. 

"I never asked too much about the blacked out areas on the Foyet file, Dave. I accepted that I wasn't there to work on it so I couldn't be upset that I wasn't the one to catch him."

"Okay," Rossi said, drawing out the word meaning that he wasn't sure exactly where Hotch was going with that. Spencer wondered if the two of them thought that they were quiet. Spencer was going to wait to see where it went before he clued them in on what exactly his hearing range was. 

"I did hear that someone else was brought in to go over all of the files and to give an outside profile of the man. And that it was that person who was ultimately the one who got the thread that led to him."

"Yes."

"I find it very coincidental that you all of a sudden start to be friends with the protege that turned down Gideon's proposal to put him on the team out of the academy at the same time that Foyet was found by someone outside the BAU."

"There is no question there, Aaron."

"Reid is the analyst that found Foyet isn't he?" Hotch asked. 

Spencer closed his eyes because if Rossi didn't tell him yes, Spencer was sure that he was going to.

"Yes. However he was supposed to come to me with clues, but he traced him all the way while we were gone on a case, so he made the best decision with what he had in front of him. I don't fault him for that."

"No, I wouldn't either. I would like to read the information about it and how he tracked him down."

"Most of it was over my head as far as the science goes but I think that if you asked Jack he would give it to you."

"How did you get him to work on the case? Not a lot of people would have touched the Foyet case with a ten-foot pole with someone else's hand on the other end."

"Easy. He wanted a shot at this. Gideon would have been the best bet but I searched him out, and I told him that I would help him get at least an interview if he helped."

"And you bribed him with food?"

"No. I went to a shop that was close to where he lived and set up deliveries for the days I knew that he wasn't at work. I didn't ask, and he didn't tell me to stop. Although I do know that the woman who owned the shop thought that I had designs on his body."

"I bet that was fun."

"She's just over five feet tall, and she made me feel smaller than a grain of rice. I don't know what Reid told her to make her leave me alone but she stopped glaring at me when I came in there sometimes to eat by myself."

Spencer stood up, hoping that it would stop them from talking. He knew that nothing had been said that wasn't the truth, but now they were getting close to personal things that Spencer didn't need to hear. Spencer moved over to stand in front of Hotch, waiting for both men to look at him.

"I have exceptional hearing," was all that Spencer signed before he looked at Rossi. Rossi showed no shame while Hotch had a weird look on his face. "I am done with this site, and I think it's time to update the team."

Spencer didn't even wait for the both of them to say anything, he just moved to the SUV and got inside. He waited for Hotch to thank the man that currently lived at home and worked on writing down the numbers that he gleaned from seeing the areas for himself and not with the bias of the angle the photos were taken from. When the other two agents got into the SUV, nothing was said. The entire drive back to the station was silent. 

When the SUV stopped in the spot beside where the other was parked, Spencer didn't even wait until the SUV was turned off before he got out. He had a lot that he had to say, and he wanted to be able to get it into the computer as soon as possible. JJ had brought the laptop from the jet so that Spencer could use it to talk. So far no one on the team had shown a single hesitance over his disability, but then it hadn't even been a day yet. 

Spencer sat down in front of the computer and started to type, queueing up the words that he wanted to say. While he was typing, he grabbed files and pictures before he settled in and began to type in earnest. Hotch and Rossi pulled the rest of the team into the room that they were given to use and Hotch shut the door. 

" _The UnSub left a taunt at every single crime scene._ " Spencer slide over an image to each of the team as each scene had one, he didn't have to have extra copies. " _There were always five things that were arranged to make a star at each location. It was never the same five things and never even the same distance apart. The star at the first location each point was ten feet apart. It could also be a pentagon, but given that stars are more popular I am going with it. The fifth location the star was five feet from point to point. The angles of the shot from the camera distorted some of them._ " 

"How does that help us?" Morgan asked.

" _I don't know yet. However, maybe Garcia could take the suspect pool with adjustments from us over the new advances made since Gideon was last here and see how many are alive, in the area, or if they have moved. See if something like this has popped up there while I see if there is anything else about the distances between the points that might help us._ "

"That's why you asked about teachers. Math or science teacher."

Spencer wasn't even paying attention as he signed yes, his mind lost in trying to understand what the different star configurations menat. He was finding nothing that helped. Spencer turned the feet into meters, and there he found an unusual pattern but nothing that was helping because there were no more murders to compare it to. Spencer was lost in trying to find anything else in the photos when there was knock on the table. Spencer looked up into Hotch's face.

"Garcia has seven suspects that fit that, and there are three that were incarcerated or died around the time that the killings stopped. The man who died barely passed math according to his school records, so I nixed him. The other two are housed in the same prison not far from here. Reid, you and I will talk to one while Dave and Morgan talk to the other. I am good enough at sign language, and all else fails you can just spell the words that I don't know."

Spencer wondered what Hotch would do if he refused. Being stuck in prison with someone who was not the greatest at sign language, where he wouldn't be able to take his cell phone or tablet, and he wasn't even sure that pen and paper would be allowed. 

"Fine," Spencer signed. 

Five hours later, Spencer was being ushered up into the jet by a giggling Prentiss. She was the first on the team to touch him beside Hotch. It had started when they had been in the back of the SUV with Hotch driving and JJ riding shotgun. With his tablet between his legs for support as Hotch drove tactically, as JJ called it, Spencer and Prentiss had tried to talk about books. Spencer was happy to find out that at least Prentiss read some of the things that Spencer did. 

"So when was his offender group going to be DNA tested?" Morgan asked as he took a seat in the same chair he had been in for the start of the flight out to Texas. Hotch waited for Spencer to sit down on the inside seat before he took a seat on the outside.

"He was in the round of testing for two and a half years from now. He was put in for unpremeditated vehicular manslaughter so taking his DNA wasn't a big rush, he was considered a non-repeat offender. Anyone who had been in for rape or assault was in the first for testing, given the recidivism rate for those crimes," Hotch explained as he buckled into his seat. 

"Still, he's been sitting there for all of these years telling other prisoners about what he was going to do when he got out in just under five years, and none of them stepped up," Morgan said. 

" _There is much debate between psychologists and criminal investigators about the actual number but up to half of all cold crimes could be solved when states finally get all of their backlogs of rape kits and all DNA of incarcerated offenders run and cataloged. Especially between states_."

JJ and Prentiss were in the process of buckling themselves in and stopped to look up at Spencer. He wondered if he had said something wrong.

"Fifty percent?" JJ and Prentiss asked at the same time. 

" _Depending on who you ask yes. The lowest estimated number is thirty-three_."

"Damn," Morgan and Rossi said at the same time. Spencer watched as Prentiss pulled out a deck of cards and showed them to JJ and Hotch waiting for a nod from each of them before she showed Spencer.

" _No, thank you._ "

"See Morgan, that's how you say no!" Prentiss yelled out, smiling and winking at Spencer. Spencer smiled back before he pulled his book free from his bag to read. He didn't flip through the pages as fast as he wanted to because he knew that it freaked people out. He still read at a fast pace.

"You don't have to slow yourself, Reid."

Spencer looked at Hotch, and his eyes couldn't help but glance at his poker hand. Spencer looked at the communal cards, and his eyes automatically started to run odds of Hotch getting the four of a kind that was his only real way of winning. Hotch gave him a smile. 

"It's best to just show your quirks to profilers and get it all over with."

" _I'll remember that._ "

The rest of the flight was unremarkable, and Spencer didn't know how much he had actually helped in that case. No one else was being hurt, and the man would have been caught by his DNA before he had been released anyway. Still, he felt good because he was sure that he made a good impression. 

When they got back to Quantico, Hotch talked to Spencer about how it was all going to go. Spencer knew that while he was in the BAU on a trial basis, he would still work from his regular office most of the time. When the next case popped up, Spencer would get a text from Hotch. 

Spencer went back to work, telling no one about what he had done for barely a single day. He wanted the BAU so hard that it hurt to breath when he thought about not passing. 

Friday morning dawned, and Spencer was worried about a case not popping up. Then he would hate himself because wanting a case meant that someone was hurting. The knock on his office door startled him, and he pressed the button that lit up the light outside of it, making it glow green so that whoever was outside knew that it was okay to come in. 

It was Hotch.

Spencer jumped up out of his seat when he saw the man with Martin behind him. Martin started to sign behind Hotch's back as Spencer's stomach began to revolt. Hotch was going to tell him that he wasn't good enough.

"I'm just here to help you pack up, Spencer," Martin signed quickly, and it took a few seconds for the words to process in Spencer's mind.

"Morgan and Prentiss really liked you and what you brought to us on a cold case. Dave talked to Jack Applehorn, and your transfer was processed an hour ago. You are a member of my team. You'll have a six month period where at the end of it, if you or if we have a problem, you'll come back here, but there is no three case trial for you."


	8. Arc 2-October 2009

Aaron settled into the corner of the couch, sticking his feet out a little as Jack cuddled into him with a movie playing in the background. Aaron wasn't even sure what they were watching because Jack had been the one to choose the movie and the one before it. Aaron was half paying attention to it all, focused more on other things. Not so much things, as another person. 

There was something about Spencer Reid that was making Aaron take to him quicker than he had anyone else ever. Even if Haley had been alive and Jack's primary caregiver, Aaron never would have invited someone who had still practically been a stranger over for brunch just to talk with him and Jack. He never would have allowed Jack to sit in his lap for a coloring stint. Aaron never would have allowed him over to the house, period. 

Even after finding out that Spencer had been a pick from Gideon to be on the team, Aaron had not connected him with the person who had found Foyet. Aaron had let himself assume that it had been entirely the fugitive retrieval squad who had found him. Aaron had known that they were looking for him since the moment that he had escaped in Boston, but it had been so long, and Aaron had lost hope that anyone would find him. Then he had attacked Aaron. Aaron laid his hand on his stomach, touching the scars through his thin T-shirt. 

Aaron looked at Jack and knew the main reason why he had allowed Reid in as far as he had so far was because of Jack. Dave had been entirely correct in the fact that Jack needed to see that even if he never got his voice back, he was going to lead a normal life and could be anything that he wanted to be. 

In the week since Aaron had gone to fetch Spencer from the Hoover building and did an idiotic thing in not even doing the three case test that he had agreed to, Spencer had been working on getting up to date with files that were not available outside of the Unit. Aaron had caught himself several times standing at his window and looking down to see Spencer flipping through every case that the BAU had been on since its inception, under a very different name. Spencer had estimated the exact amount of time that it would take him to get through all of the files, slower for some of the newer files that had all been digitally scanned and trashed afterward as his reading speed wasn't as fast on a screen. 

Morgan had asked Aaron out to lunch just that day. He wanted to talk to Aaron about how the team had never had Reid apply before. Aaron admitted that he didn't know why Spencer hadn't applied to the BAU previously. The only reason Aaron had was in Spencer's file about him not wanting to be seen as only getting onto the team because of Gideon. Aaron had actually been shocked that it was the only thing that Morgan wanted to talk about. 

Aaron knew that he had a bias when it came to Spencer, he knew that he had a bias when it came to every single member of his team. It didn’t impede his ability to send them out to do the job that they were hired to do. For the moment, Aaron was keeping to the rule about Spencer's responsibilities when it came to being on cases. Aaron would prefer that he stay at the station unless Aaron himself was taking him someplace, but that was more that he was the only one on the team that knew ASL. Aaron knew that the speech program Spencer used was sometimes a crutch more than it was a help, Spencer had said that and Aaron understood why now. People were not used to it. It wasn't something that many had, or many wanted to use. 

Spencer had done well at adapting to working inside of the bullpen even after just a single afternoon of being there. The first thing that had been done was for the entire team to give Spencer their phone numbers, personal and work so that the man could text them when he needed them. Aaron, there really wasn't anything else as far as the day to day operations that needed to be changed. Spencer had a desk phone that was set up for visual calls, but Aaron knew that Spencer had already set up a protocol with Morgan, who shared a desk area with him to take calls that were more than just someone relaying information. 

Aaron was pulled from his thinking when he felt a tug on his shirt sleeve. Aaron paused the movie out of habit and looked down at Jack. 

"Is Spencer part of your team now?" Jack asked, his fingers very careful in spelling each word correctly.

"Yes."

"When are you going to do a meal like you used to?"

"What do you mean, Jack?" Aaron tried to think about anything that he had done with the team and Jack in the time around just before Foyet's attack. There had been nothing. Team get-togethers that didn’t involve a quick meal after getting home from a case, or after the end of regular work hours were rare. . The last time that the team had got together for a planned outing with anyone that wasn't on the team was the Superbowl of two thousand and seven. Before that Haley had talked him into scheduling team meals. Sometimes it was at their place, and sometimes it was out at a bar or a restaurant. There had even been one at a bowling alley. It had stopped after that fateful case in Georgia that had been the start of the downfall of Greenaway. One too many cases on top of each other that were horrific before she was caught killing a suspect by a local woman. 

"Aunt Jessica was going through pictures with me."

Aaron nodded because he knew that Haley had taken pictures at those get-togethers but he hadn't realized that she had put them together into an album of some kind. Aaron thought about it, and it would be fun to get together with the team, outside of work. Mainly to get the team to know Spencer a little better. He wanted Spencer to work out, and that meant a lot of changes on how the team did things. Spencer and JJ would make a good team for staying back at the station and working on things there. Once Spencer was a little more settled on the team, he would be able to answer most questions that anyone at the station had. Aaron didn't think that the younger man would have a problem getting his point across to the LEOs on cases, but Aaron wanted to make sure that Spencer was not bullied for his disability.

"How does after our next case sound? We can do a cookout. It's not too cold yet for one. JJ can bring Will and Henry. Penelope can bring Kevin."

"And you can bring Spencer?" Jack asked. 

Aaron looked at his son with a strange look on his face. Jack though had his eyes on the screen of the TV.

"I'm sure that Spencer will be coming alone."

"Would he bring Curiosity?"

"I don't know." Aaron knew that he should have realized that Spencer would have talked to Jack about Curiosity. Spencer was very proud of his monster of a cat, and Aaron knew that it was just like having a kid, you found every excuse to talk about them to people. The fact that Curiosity was the size of a house meant that people were more willing to talk to Spencer about him. 

"Aunt Jessica told me that she didn't know why Mommy stopped wanting to get together with the team when I asked her why I had never been in any of the pictures."

Aaron knew the reason, and it hit him hard because he had never realized it before. He really had never noticed that even when it had all started, Haley talked to and paid more attention to the women on the team, especially after JJ had joined. Aaron carefully thought it through and realized that Haley had been worried about Aaron sleeping with one of the women on the team. She had been worried about Prentiss as well, asking about her for the first few weeks after she had joined the team. The get-togethers were a way to see how they all acted around each other. 

"I think after you were born buddy, the team get-togethers were a way for Mommy to get a little break from you. A chance to be an adult and spend time with me. That's why you aren't in any of the pictures."

Jack thankfully took that and seemed content. Aaron, however, wasn't. He hit play on the movie again and watched a frog dancing around and singing. Aaron understood at that moment that it was when Haley's problems started. He had never seen the reason behind it all, so he hadn't realized how strange it was. Aaron always had thought that Haley had wanted to have the team get together to help release some of the burdens from their cases, but now it was all a way to check in on Aaron. 

Aaron wondered what would have happened over the years if he had told Haley the one truth that he had always kept from her. Aaron hadn't wanted to tell her because it was something that was only theoretical. Aaron had come to the conclusion in high school and later at the boarding school that while other boys his age were checking out the girls that started to develop breasts, Aaron was also checking out the guys. Even after meeting and falling in love with Haley, Aaron would find a male catching his attention and holding it. It was worse back when Haley was carefree and never dared think that Aaron would cheat on her and would sit with him while they were out to dinner and tease Aaron by talking about a guy who passed by them. Aaron had only ever got hard during one of Haley’s little teases, and by the time that they had left the table, it had gone down, thankfully. 

Jack let the subject go, thankfully because Aaron wasn't sure what else he could tell the boy about it without lying to keep his mother perfect in his son's eyes. He was too young to know the darkness that had seeped into the relationship between his parents. Aaron thought again about how it could have been stopped from happening. How Haley could have been diagnosed in time to save her life, if for no other reason than to keep his son from having lost his mother and in such a way.

The subtle vibration of Aaron's phone pulled him out of his thoughts. He had turned it into silent mode so that it wouldn't disrupt movie night. Aaron didn't check it until Jack was asleep on top of him on the couch. 

There is a real possibility that we will have a case in California tomorrow.

JJ's text was short and to the point and Aaron was thankful for it. He'd make plans with Jessica in the morning. JJ tried to always give him a heads up when she could so that he could find another caregiver for Jack if Jessica were busy or at the actual office for her job. Jack had a full day at the school, a more detailed sign language lesson that would take up most of the afternoon before a visit with his psychologist. 

Aaron stayed on the couch longer than he should have, cuddling Jack. He missed this, missed the laying on the couch and snuggling with baby Jack on his chest. It was the only thing that Aaron really missed from when Jack was a baby. Aaron would have to see about talking Jack into watching movies like this more often. 

Jack shifted on top of Aaron, rubbing his face into his father's shirt before going limp again. Aaron knew that if he didn't get up and put Jack to bed soon, Aaron was going to fall asleep and his body wasn't going to like him if he slept on the couch nor would Jack like it if he rolled off of Aaron and onto the floor. So, Aaron cradled his son close and got up and off the couch. Jack barely reacted. Jack didn't even wake up once as Aaron put him to bed and then left the room. 

Sleep came quickly to Aaron as he laid down in bed after getting ready. 

* * *

Aaron got to work first, for the first time beating Spencer into the office. The younger man had been coming in early, mainly he said because he was getting the time's right for the train that he took into work. Aaron believed him but also wondered if it was that he didn't want to make a horrible impression by being late. Aaron hoped that this was a trend that wasn't going to keep going because Aaron didn't need Spencer burning out.

However, Aaron was only alone for about half an hour before he heard movement in the bullpen. The coffee that Aaron had brought with him from home was gone, and he needed a refill, but Aaron was loathe to go out into the bullpen and get more. 

The smell of coffee hit Aaron's nose before he even noticed Spencer entering his office. Spencer was carrying two cups of coffee, there was the one that was in Spencer's cup that Dave had bought for him, welcoming him to the team and Aaron's generic FBI mug. Spencer set down his mug though before sitting in the chair across from Aaron's desk and setting Aaron's cup down on the seat beside him. 

"I did not realize that I had mixed up the cups when I made it until it was done."

"It's fine. We can swap back later. Thank you, Reid, for the coffee."

"Welcome. I have the laptop ready."

"Laptop?" Aaron asked. He tried to figure out what Spencer was talking about. He didn't know anything about a laptop.

"Bureau issued laptop for me. Garcia already loaded it with the program that she uses to send information to our phones. My speech software is all ready to go as well."

"Oh, I didn't realize that you weren't going to use the one on the jet."

"It makes more sense to have one dedicated to me. Section Chief Applehorn made sure that I have whatever I need to make this a smooth transition. Analyst Raven Ramirez set it up for me before she turned it over to Garcia."

"Why her?" Aaron had heard the name but didn't understand why she was the one that set up the computer for Spencer.

"Raven is the creator of my speech app. We met at Caltech during a seminar and it kind of spiraled from there. She's kept my tablet to get it all set up with the extra needed privacy and protection software that is necessary for me to use it in our line of work. Given my need for a phone that can make the latest visual phone connection, my personal phone has become my work phone as well."

"That's good. So we won't need to update the numbers given to the team and other people that we work with. Is the laptop here with you today?"

"Yes. Raven gave me a sleeve for it so that when it's in my messenger bag, it won't get hurt until I can go and buy a good laptop bag for it."

Aaron watched as Spencer picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip. Aaron was startled that he had understood everything that Spencer had said. Aaron knew that he had been getting better at picking up ASL with Jack and with Spencer himself, but Aaron hadn't realized that he hadn't had to ask about many words. Of course, Aaron knew that Spencer spelled out words that he was sure that Aaron didn't know, especially technical terms that revolved around their work. 

"Jack bought you something." Aaron had forgotten about the little board and markers that Jack had sneaked into the cart at the store. Aaron had slipped it into his work briefcase. Aaron reached down and dug around in his bag. He found the board and the huge pack of dry erase markers. There was also another smaller pack. Aaron left those for the moment. He set the board down and the pack of markers. 

"Just like what I had you buy for him." Spencer was smiling as he signed the words. 

"Yes, except for this." Aaron pulled out the five pack of various colors of purple. He set those down on top of the rest and smiled. Spencer picked up the package as well. He opened it up and set out all five of the markers before setting the larger pack off of the board. Aaron watched him uncap and write something with each marker before placing them back down. 

Spencer turned the board around to where Aaron could that he had written out his name with the markers. Every few letters it swapped from one color to the other. 

"I can use it when on cases, it'll be better than pen and paper. I'll make sure to get a laptop bag that can fit it in it as well as my tablet, just to be safe."

Aaron nodded his agreement, and as he was thinking about right places to point the younger man to for bags, he thought about the laptop bag that Haley had bought for him years before. She had seen it in his home office one day about a month after she had surprised him with it and was upset that he wasn't using it. Aaron had brought it into the office and had stored it in the back of a rarely used cabinet. 

Standing up, Aaron moved to where the bag was. He found it was covered in dust and pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket to get the dust off of it. It had been in there for years, and Aaron had never used it. Looking at the dimensions, Aaron thought it would be good for Spencer's laptop if the laptop weren't too big. There was also another pocket that was made for tablets that were padded. Even with the marker board and markers, there was room for case files if Spencer needed to bring anything else with him. 

Aaron turned around and showed Spencer the bag.

"What's that?"

"It was a gift that I've never had to use. My briefcase fits my laptop, and I don't take it out of the office that much so I've just never used it. If it fits your laptop, you can have it."

Spencer didn't say a word as he stood up from his chair and moved out of the office. Aaron waited for him, sitting back down in his chair and set the bag on the desk between where he and Spencer were seated. Aaron picked up his mug of coffee and relaxed back into his chair. Spencer came back into the office, a broad smile on his face. He went right to the bag and slipped the laptop into it. It fit perfectly. The smile that was on Spencer's face made Aaron's stomach clench a little bit. There was a blush on Spencer's face that Aaron knew would have made him fetching to a lot of people.

"Thank you, Hotch. It's perfect." Spencer picked up the entirety of the bag and slipped it over his shoulder. He frowned at the strap and lengthened it so that he could put the strap over his head to have it balance on his hip. "I'll go pack it up. JJ messaged me and said that we would probably be on a case today. Something to do with LA."

"Yes, she messaged me the same thing."

"I have a kid in my apartment building that Curiosity at least likes. He's going to come by each night and feed Curiosity."

"Curiosity likes?" Aaron asked.

"My cat doesn't like many people, and most he hates. He hated Andrea with a lot of passion." Spencer didn't elaborate any more on Andrea, and given the look on his face, Aaron was sure that Andrea was the last girlfriend. 

"And what kind of rate does this kid want for caring for your cat?"

"I'm going to feed his comic book habit. A comic book for each day that he checks on Curiosity."

"That's not too bad."

"No, it's not."

The sound of laughter drew Aaron's gaze into the bullpen where JJ, Garcia, Prentiss, and Morgan were arriving for the day. Spencer grabbed his coffee and wandered out of the office. JJ went right for her office, and Aaron saw her looking at her fax machine. When she looked at him, Aaron knew that they did indeed have a case. She tapped her watch, and he knew that time was of the essence. 

Aaron made sure that the jet would be ready for them as soon as they were able to get there. 

"Team," Aaron said as soon as he stepped out of his office. Dave was getting off of the elevator. Aaron made sure to catch his eye, nodding towards the room and Dave diverted to the door that led from the hallway into the room. JJ started the briefing as everyone looked at their files. Aaron's stomach turned at the realization that the killer was draining the victims of their blood. 

"Vampires?" Prentiss asked.

Aaron understood why time was of the essence as Reid explained everything he knew of the psychosis of those who believed themselves to be vampires.

* * *

"Just because Manson hijacked it doesn't have to ruin it for the rest of us," Hotch said with a faint smile on his face.

"That's why I stick to Beethoven. There's no chance of guilt by association." Spencer smiled at the team as he settled down on the couch a little, relaxing. However, the team was not reacting as Spencer would have hoped. JJ and Morgan were sharing a look before looking at Prentiss. Hotch and Rossi had a look between them, and Spencer didn't know them well enough to know if they were making fun of him or not. Spencer swallowed. He looked away from everyone, staring at a point on the wall. He closed off his ears to any sound. There was plenty of time for Spencer to get himself centered.

Spencer felt a hand on his knee, but he ignored it. He kept staring off at the wall. The hand didn't leave his knee but the person it belonged to settled at Spencer's side on the couch. The scent of cologne fill Spencer's nose, and he knew that it was Hotch. Hotch reached up and turned Spencer's face towards him. 

"I can't talk to you if you don't look at me, Reid," Hotch signed.

Spencer looked at Hotch, waiting for him to say something else. When Spencer said nothing and did nothing for a minute. Hotch raised his hands again.

"There is a movie called A Clockwork Orange and sometime soon I'll rent it, and we can watch it together. We were not making fun of you we were just shocked that you hadn't seen or even heard of it."

"Why?" Even Spencer's signs showed how he was feeling. He couldn't stop it.

"Because then you will get to bitch about those things you love being hijacked and twisted. I know that you are new, but we will not make fun of you on purpose for your disability, your genius, or any other quirk that you have. Tease, yes." Aaron laid his hand down, settling one on Spencer's knee. "I do not expect you to just keep your mouth shut if something that any of us says upsets you. Speak up."

Spencer nodded but forced his face away from Hotch. Hotch didn't move away from the couch. Instead, he sat down all the way on it, almost too close for Spencer's comfort but it felt nice. Spencer didn't look away from the wall, and when something was handed to Hotch, he nearly jumped when Aaron relaxed back even more and laid his hand over the back of the couch, brushing at Spencer's neck. The sound of talking between the other team members picked up as the time of the flight got longer. Hotch didn't leave his side the entire time.

After a while, Spencer pulled out his book and started to read. He risked a glance at Hotch and saw that he was reading as well. It was a spy novel by the words on the page. Spencer would read two pages of his book and then look over at Hotch's reading what was there before going back to his own. After a while, Spencer was sure that Hotch figured out what he was doing he moved around to where Spencer had a better view of the book. At one point, Rossi dropped off two cups of tea to them. Spencer took a drink of it and found that it was the same Earl Grey that Hotch had given him before. There was only a touch of sugar in it, but Spencer found that he liked it. 

"Thanks, Dave," Hotch said with a slight smile on his face. He took a drink of the tea but made a face. "You need to learn how to make tea. I do not take it like I take my coffee."

Spencer handed over his cup and took Hotch's from his hand. Hotch quirked an eyebrow and took a drink. The smile said that it was made right. Spencer took a sip of his new tea, finding that it had no sugar in it and he liked it a lot better that way. 

"Or remember which cup has sugar and which doesn't."

"Funny Aaron, funny. Most people who take coffee plain take tea the same way, especially from the south. You take your regular tea unsweet."

"But the flavored teas I do with just a little sugar. Especially hot."

Rossi laughed as he finally sat down in his seat with a stack of paperwork in front of him. Spencer looked back down at the book that Hotch was reading and poked the page. Spencer had finished it a while before and based on Hotch's reading speed he had completed it as well. Hotch chuckled just low enough to where Spencer could hear him and then he turned the page.

"What are you reading?" Hotch asked.

Spencer closed the book and showed it to him. 

"That's not what I thought you were reading. I don't know what I expected, but a nonfiction novel on the evolution of plays from Shakespeare to now is not it."

Spencer didn't feel like talking, so he just shrugged. Hotch moved the book to where it was half in Hotch's lap and a half in Spencer's. Hotch's arm at his neck curled a little more, and Spencer could feel his fingers brushing on Spencer's shoulder. 

There was a chime through the jet, and Spencer knew that meant they were close to landing.

"Everyone," Hotch said his voice loud enough to where everyone immediately looked up at him. "Since tomorrow is Saturday, I thought that a cookout at my house is in order. It's not quite cold enough to where it won't be fun, and Jack's wanted to see the team and do a big meal. Jessica has been showing him pictures, and in a few of them, it's obvious that his mom was hanging out with the team. I'll supply the meat, buns, and condiments. You guys figure out between you a few sides and desserts."

"I have a really nice baked bean recipe," Spencer signed and looked at Aaron. He didn't feel like talking to the rest of the team yet. Speaking through Aaron made it better. 

"Well, Reid has beans covered."

Spencer let the words of the team wash over him as they discussed and talked about what they were going to bring to eat. 

"When is this going to start?" JJ asked.

"We could do it as a late afternoon thing and snack and hang out the rest of the day," Hotch said as he looked up from the book, flipping the page as he did. "I think that I have that activity set still in the garage. We can set that up and see who can win at horseshoes, croquet, and I think even badminton."

"Leave me out of those," Spencer signed wrinkling his nose. Hotch laughed but even when the team looked at him pleadingly, Hotch said nothing of what Spencer had said. 

"We can see about getting some toys for Henry too," Hotch pointed out, looking at JJ. 

Spencer remembered that Henry was young, somewhere between one and two. Spencer thought about the book that Spencer had bought in the store when he had been looking for books for Hotch. Simple signs for babies and toddlers. He had bought it with JJ in mind, long before he had met her because he knew that Jack and Henry were close. Henry couldn't read, and so Spencer wasn't sure exactly what they did to talk to each other if Hotch had let Jack visit him. Spencer started a mental checklist of things that he wanted to bring. 

There was a tap on Spencer's leg from Hotch's knee, and Spencer looked up at him.

"You can come over whenever you want after nine am so that Jack can get some time in with you before the rest of the team arrives." Hotch was watching Spencer's face for something and Spencer didn't know what it was so that he could hide it.

"It's okay, Hotch. I can come over when the others do."

"Jack does well sharing me with the team because he is used to it, especially Dave. However, he's never had to share your attention with anyone but me. He's not going to like sharing, but if you come over early, he'll be less inclined to be upset. Really, I am trying to stop a fit from going on. I still don't think that he's going to get far from either one of us. We are his way of talking with the others."

"If you are sure, Hotch."

"I am." Hotch's face was sure, his hands were sure, and even the slight tone that Spener could read off of his body said that he was sure. 

"Then I'll get there at nine so that I can help you get ready. I do well at cutting onions." 

"Then you have onion duty." 

Spencer smiled and looked out at the team. None of them were looking at him and Hotch. They were still talking between themselves and getting the food narrowed down. Spencer saw that JJ had a piece of paper out and was writing down. She looked at Spencer, glancing to see if he was looking or not.

"Spence, Morgan usually does drinks when we do this. Do you like anything in particular?"

Spencer was thrown a little by the nickname. He had never had someone call him that before. Almost a minute had gone by with him staring at her before he realized that he needed to answer. Spencer grabbed his bag and started to dig around for his phone. He couldn't find it in his bag, so he began to take things out. Hotch's hand closed around his and pulled his hands out of the bag. In his other hand was Spencer's phone but Hotch wasn't handing it over. 

"I'll be making iced tea for Jack and I. If you want that, I'll make enough for you for the day as well."

Spencer nodded.

"Okay, Spence is taken care of. Hotch, beer okay still?"

"Of course." Hotch gave her a look that said he didn't understand why she was asking. 

"Good. Will has this new microbrew at home that he loves. I'll have him bring a case of it with him."

"Sounds good," Hotch said. 

The cookouts seemed like something the team did a lot, but with Hotch's words, it appeared that it wasn't done at Hotch's regularly but at Morgan's.

"We haven't done a cookout since last summer," Prentiss said. 

"No, we haven't." Morgan looked excited about the cookout. Spencer hadn't seen him smile that much ever. Then again he hadn't been around the man that much. "Hotch, what meats are you supplying?"

"Burgers, dogs, I might be talked into doing brats."

"Can you do that sauce you did for those ones a few summers back?" Morgan looked even more excited if that was possible than he had just seconds before.

"Yes." Hotch was smiling, and Spencer could tell that he had planned on doing the brats and whatever sauce that came with them anyway. Spencer looked down at the book and saw that Hotch had turned the page again. Spencer read over the words and was shocked when right as he finished them, Hotch turned the page. Just like that, they were back into their own little world of reading. 

* * *

Spencer knocked on Hotch's door and waited for the man to answer. When no one answered after five minutes and thirty-three seconds, Spencer rang the doorbell.

"Around back, Reid!" Hotch yelled from around the side. It made Spencer wonder if the man was unused to opening the door to people. Spencer shifted the bowl of beans around in his arms. The beans were meant to be eaten cold so Hotch wouldn't have something that he had to worry about heating up before the meal started. Spencer was unused to gatherings like this. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to wear and how he was supposed to ask. A dinner out with Martin was about the only thing that he had done with work friends before. Bars and clubs were regular and in neither of those settings was Spencer comfortable. Spencer had messaged Raven and asked her what she wore when she went out with her team, but the only thing Raven had messaged back was that she wore what she always wore to work. 

Standing and staring at his closet for an hour, Spencer had decided on a pair of dark blue jeans and a purple shirt with a black vest. It was close to what he wore to work but also not really what he wore to work. 

Rounding the corner to Hotch's backyard, Spencer saw Hotch standing at the gate. More accurately he was leaning on it. Hotch smiled at Spencer as Spencer came in sight, Hotch's gaze swept down Spencer's body and back up. Spencer reached down to see if he had left his fly open or something, but he hadn't. Spencer wasn't sure if the look on Hotch's face was because he was upset that Spencer hadn't dressed down more or was upset because he hadn't dressed up more. This was why Spencer hated social situations.

"Do I need to put the beans in the fridge until time to warm them up?" Hotch asked as he reached out and took the beans before Spencer could even fully reach the gate. Spencer passed them over with no words, but he did shake his head. "Then I'll just put them on the kitchen on the table. I have the tea already made and Jack's playing in his sandpit. I will put you in charge of making sure that he's out of it in time to get changed out of his sand covered clothes before the team gets here. JJ, Will, and Henry are arriving first around noon. He's allowed to play in the yard with anything that he wants in his clothes, but the inside of the house is off limits. There is a bathroom in the shed at the back and a small shower. Feel free to use it or the inside bathroom."

Spencer nodded his understanding before moving over towards the table where he had sat last time. However, before he got too far away, Hotch grabbed his upper arm. Spencer looked down and realized that the man had his hands wrapped around Spencer's soulmark. Spencer didn't jerk his arm away, but he did look up at Hotch. 

"I set you up with a chair over here." Hotch let go of Spencer's arm and pointed before directing Spencer over to an area where there were a lot of chairs set up, but there was one that was a lounge chair that had a large almost desk like surface on top. "I found it in the garage, and you can leave your tablet set up there all the time, or laptop if you bought it. I didn't want you all alone at the table. We generally congregate around the grill so we can all talk while I do the grilling. If it's too close to the grill and too smokey, we can move it around."

"I'm sure it will be fine."

"Just let me know though. You can leave your bag there for now. I don't think you need your tablet setup for just us. If I don't know a word, you can spell it out." 

The sound of running feet stopped Spencer from answering. Jack came running up and hugged Spencer close. Spencer reached down, and kind of pressed Jack into his body a little with his hands since he couldn't crouch and actually hug him. After a few seconds, Jack released his hold just enough to tip his head up and look at Spencer. Spencer knew that Jack would release him all the way to talk when he was ready. 

"Do you want to play in the sand with me?"

Spencer shook his head, he unhooked the hand he had on his bag and started to sign to Jack. "No, I don't like playing in the kind of sand that is from around here."

"Why not?"

"Where I am from the sand is a lot different, a lot drier and it just feels different. I don't even like the sand at the beaches close to here."

"Can we go there sometime?"

"We?"

"Dad, and you, and me."

"That's something that you can discuss with your father." Spencer did not know how Hotch would respond to the fact that Jack wanted to go on a vacation with him to Las Vegas. Jack seemed to take it well though. Jack nodded and took off. He moved back to his sandbox and started to play again. Spencer set his bag down, pulling out his tablet and setting it on the little table attached to the lounge chair. Spencer also reasoned that if this were for him to sit at, part of the lounger would be used for Jack to sit on. Spencer counted the chairs. He did mental math of the people who had a partner on the team, and he was coming up a chair short. There was not a spot for Hotch to sit. Unless he was planning on sitting at the end of the lounger. It was right beside the grill and Spencer could see him doing it. 

Spencer sat down on the lounger, pulling his knees up to his chest and started to look around the backyard. There wasn't much changed at all. Spencer reached into his bag and touched the case that he carried his MP3 player and headphones in. He wondered how upset Hotch would be if he started to listen to it. Spencer could see Hotch moving around in the kitchen, and he thought about joining him, but he was on Jack duty. There was going to be a great deal of time between when the team was going to arrive and when they were all going to eat. There would be plenty of time for Spencer to help Hotch cut up things. Given the location of where Hotch was in the kitchen, he was at the stove. Spencer wondered if he was working on the sauce that Morgan loved. 

Turning to look at Jack, Spencer let his mind wander as he watched the boy build a massive castle out of the sand. It was a simple one, but the boy was very proud before he pulled a plastic dragon that had been buried in the sand out and it started to reek havoc all over the castle. It was nice seeing the boy just playing and not caring about anyone around him. 

"Jack, Reid, breakfast!" Hotch called closer to ten am. Spencer looked at his watch to confirm the time. Jack stood up from his sandbox and dusted sand off of himself. He started to run towards the house but stopped where Spencer was and held his hand out. Spencer took his hand and allowed the boy to pull him toward the house. Hotch came out of the house carrying three plates of food. He set them down on the table that was under the porch at the back of the house. "Reid, can you grab the three mugs of tea in the kitchen?"

Spencer let go of Jack's hands and allowed the boy to sit down at the table. He watched as Jack held out his hands for his father to use a wipe on before he sat down at the table right next to where Hotch placed two plates of food. However, instead of sitting across from the two of them, Hotch took a seat at the end, closer to where the dish for Spencer obviously was. Spencer grabbed the three mugs, smelling that it was a different kind of tea than Hotch had made before. 

As soon as Spencer set down the three mugs, Hotch pulled one closer to him and set Jack's to where the boy could reach it. Spencer sat down, and Hotch handed over a fork. 

"Why did you cook?"

"It's a long while until we are eating lunch and I'd rather have food in my stomach when I start to prepare all of the meats. Jack and I woke up late, so I decided to do a brunch style meal instead of breakfast. I also know that you usually eat right when you wake up and that you would be hungry before we actually got to the meal portion of the cookout."

"I brought power bars."

"Yes, I saw you load some into your desk at work. This will do better."

Jack was halfway done with his by the time that Spencer even tucked into his own. He didn't reach over and grab up his tea until he was about a quarter of the way through his. It wasn't as large as the portion that he had been given the last time, in deference to the meal that they were going to be eating in a few hours. 

Spencer reached for his tea, finding that the mug was just cold enough to touch when he lifted it up. Spencer took a sip of it and washed the food down his throat before he took another drink to actually taste the tea. He could taste peach in it but wasn't sure if there was anything else.

"Just a simple peach tea this time."

"I like it," Spencer signed back. He picked up his fork again and realized that Aaron had talked to him entirely by signing. Jack's eyes darted to them as both of them settled into silence. Spencer didn't know what to talk about, and given that they were eating it was harder to speak by sign language, but Spencer had left both his phone and his tablet over at the chair, there was no other way for him to talk to Hotch. Hotch didn't seem upset by the silence though. In fact, every time that Spencer looked around the area and caught Hotch's eye, Hotch smiled at him. 

Jack was done first, eating everything on his plate before drinking what was left of his tea. Spencer watched him point back at his sandbox, and Hotch nodded before Jack took off towards it. Hotch looked back at Spencer.

"I thought kids were hard to feed?"

"What?" Hotch asked. 

Spencer started to repeat his question, but Hotch held up his hand. 

"Sorry, it took me a second. I understood you. I was just shocked by the question. Jack has never been a picky eater. Yes it was hard to get him to want anything other than macaroni and cheese, and that is still his favorite meal, but Haley and I set out early in making sure that he ate a balanced meal. While Jack hates brussels sprouts and corn, he will eat any other vegetable that I set out for him. Jack doesn't like pickled beets, but he likes plain beets. Jack never really tried to get out of eating vegetables. I don't know what it is about corn that he doesn't like. He will pick it out of things though."

"I had a kid I went to school with that hated beans. He wouldn't even eat things after the beans had been picked out. I was shocked to realize that Jack wasn't like other kids."

"No, that's the one thing that Haley and I at least did right. Jack's a wonderful kid, and we were consistent enough when he was young that he knows that we aren't going to force him to do something that Jack doesn't like, just because he doesn't like it." Hotch gave Spencer a shy smile, but there was a pain in his eyes. 

Spencer let the subject drop as he worked on finishing his food. He had only made himself a bowl of cereal that day, and that was why he had brought power bars with him. Spencer agreed that this was a better option, but he hadn't been planning on cooking in Aaron's kitchen to eat, so that was why he had brought a snack with him. When Spencer was done, he picked up his plate and Jack's before snagging both empty cups with his other hand, taking it all into the kitchen. Hotch had a pile of dishes in the sink from breakfast and a few other things. 

The other sink was full of water that when Spencer tested it, he found it still very hot. Spencer slipped his and Jack's plates into that water along with their mugs and started to wash them. He wasn't going to let Hotch do all of the clean-up. 

A hand on Spencer's back was his only warning that Hotch was even in the room. 

"You don't have to do them, but I know that you won't stop. I'll go outside and play with Jack until you are done with the dishes. Just come outside." Hotch slipped his plate and fork down into the water. His mug he set beside the sink where Spencer had placed his and Jack's to be done after Spencer got the plates done but before he did the pans that were used to cook the food. Spencer wanted to call him back, but as the man left the room, he knew there was no way other than throwing water at him. Spencer wanted him to stay where he was, touching his back. 

Spencer knew that his aversion to touching that had come up from protecting himself from bullies was a lot of his problem, but it wasn't until that moment that he realized how much he liked being touched by people he cared about. He had always allowed people that he was dating to touch him and Spencer was pretty damned sure that his touch hunger was why he jumped into bed with them so quick, only to have it all fizzle out. Spencer was confident that he was developing feelings for his new boss, but there wasn't a single damned thing that Spencer would ever do about it. It worked for him in the long run though because Hotch was too wrapped up in his now dead ex-wife to ever try and date again, so Spencer would never be relegated out of his life. Jack liked him, and Spencer was sure that even if Jack started talking the next day, Jack would still want him around. 

Hotch touched him all the time, Spencer realized. It was always innocent and innocuous touches, but it was enough for Spencer who found that he wasn't feeling the urge that he had for so long to find someone else. He wasn't missing Andrea at all, and that was rare because he usually missed his exes for a while after they left but with Andrea that want of a companion had never come up. Spencer looked out the window above the sink to see Hotch playing with Jack in the sand. The man was sitting on the ground outside the sandbox and had the dragon in hand. Jack was playing as soldiers trying to defend the castle from the dragon. 

Spencer knew that he should really stop coming around so much and try and find someone else, but Hotch was safe. Hotch wasn't going to disappoint him if all they ever had was a friendship. He also had proved that he was more than willing to accept a mute son in his life, but a mute son and a mute lover were two different things. It was always the sex that was the problem. No one was ever happy with him being unable to scream when he was having sex, especially the men. There was something about a man fucking another man that made the man feel like he had good sex when his partner screamed, and Spencer couldn't do that. He could pant, and he could exhale but that was it, and it was never enough. Spencer was never sufficient for his lovers but this...Spencer was going to make sure that his friendship with Hotch was going to be enough so that he wouldn't have to have a broken heart again.


	9. November 2009

Aaron was never more thankful for Jessica than the nights that she gladly took over Jack's attention with barely a look at Aaron when he got back from a hard case. Prentiss, Garcia, and Morgan had spent the last hour of the flight home talking Spencer into going out with them. Aaron hadn't thought they were going to win until Garcia changed the venue from a bar to a club that while they had dancing, it was on the floor above, but the lower level was people hanging out and not screaming over music. Aaron had planned on pulling Morgan aside and telling him that bars and clubs were not Spencer's scene, especially since no one on the team knew a lot of sign language. 

JJ had learned a few signs, and Aaron was proud of her. There were a lot of things that Spencer just signed without thinking. Morgan had learned hello, goodbye, yes, and no. Garcia was taking it as a challenge to learn as many words as she could but usually got distracted by something else while looking things up online. Prentiss knew some words already but wasn't making a huge effort to learn much more. Spencer though was learning a whole new range of words in tactical sign language. Dave had got him a manual on it and told him to use it to tell Morgan to shut up on a daily basis. 

"Can I get you another, Sir?" The bartender asked. It had been Aaron's favorite bar before he had moved elsewhere in the city. And, it still was. He hadn't found a place that he liked better.

Aaron looked down at his beer and noticed that he had drunk it all. He nodded and slid his glass over. The bartender grabbed it and stuck it down in the dishwasher while grabbing a new one and filling it from the tap. Aaron had a tab with the place, and he would have the bartender run his card at the end of the night. Aaron turned around started to watch the other people around him . The music in the bar was a mix of classic rock and what was considered oldies by the youth of the area. There was an area where people could dance, but it was empty. The bar was full enough of patrons, so Aaron watched them instead. 

"I've not seen you around in here before," a man said as he sat down beside Aaron. Aaron turned to look at him. He couldn't stop himself from profiling the man. He was at least a decade younger than Aaron and showed an exterior of wealth. His clothes were fashionable but sensible as well. Whatever job he had, he was comfortable in it. 

"I don't come as often as I used to but I was a regular at one point."

"I just moved to the area a few months back. Got a transfer."

"I just moved back to this area after living across town for a couple of years." Aaron took a drink of his beer and wondered at how tipsy he should let himself get. He didn't need to worry about Jack because Jessica had him well in hand. He could go home and sleep off whatever he drunk. 

"Did you miss the area?"

"Something like that." Aaron wasn't going to go into the reason he had come back to the area. That wasn't something that this stranger needed to know. Aaron looked at the man again and realized exactly what this was. Aaron was being hit on. He looked down into his beer before turning to face the man. "I really did miss the area when I moved away so I moved back as soon as I could. Even though I wasn't that far, I found myself not visiting the places that I missed because they were too far to go after work. Now I'm within walking distance of my favorite bar again."

"That's great. I'm walking distance as well from my apartment."

Aaron took that for what it meant, either place was open for if anything were to happen.

"I have a table in the corner. We can go over there and continue this without having to worry about others invading." The man stood up, and Aaron stood with him, signaling to the bartender that he wanted one more of what each of them was having. Aaron followed the man to his table, and it was in the corner, but it was a corner that had a perfect view of the entire place. Aaron watched the man sit down, turned to where he could watch the whole area. Watching the man move, Aaron knew that he was law enforcement of some kind. Aaron debated for a few seconds where he was going to sit and decided to sit in the place that was right beside the man, so they could both have the perfect view of the whole bar. 

"Aaron," Aaron said as he sat down, his thigh brushing the man's as he did. 

"Shawn," was offered back in return, the grin on his face as Aaron settled in beside him. "Cop or agent?"

"Agent." Aaron wasn't shocked that the man knew that he was enforcement of some kind.

"Cop. I think though that it's all we need to give, don't you?" Shawn asked.

"Very much so." Aaron grinned as he leaned closer to the man so they could talk lowly. 

As the night went on, Aaron realized that Shawn was not out of the closet to his unit. He was career driven and didn't want it to hold him back. Aaron could understand that, and it was why Aaron left first when both of them had drunk a little too much alcohol to make any significant decisions, but both had already decided that this was the goal at the end of the night. 

Shawn's apartment really was very close to the bar, in fact, it was above the store that was just a block from the bar. As soon as Shawn paused to enter the code to the ground floor door that would allow them up, Aaron pressed himself into the man's body. Aaron was half aroused just thinking about sex of any kind but sex that he didn't have to worry about coming to bite him in the ass or worry about the other half trying to think it was more than what it was, was going to be perfect. Shawn tipped his head to the side as soon as Aaron nosed in behind his ear. The man's hair was cropped short but just on the edge of something that probably wasn't allowed by his department. There was a messiness to it that Aaron was sure drove ladies nuts. 

"I like a man who goes after what he wants," Shawn said as he pushed open the door. There was a set of steps in front of them, so Aaron took advantage of the little, open area at the base of the steps and pushed Shawn in before he pushed the door shut a little harder than he meant to with his foot. Shawn pulled Aaron towards him by the tie that Aaron was still wearing. He hadn't stayed at home long at all. Just enough to secure his gun and put up his briefcase before leaving. He needed a better headspace than what he had for dealing with his son. Aaron pressed his hands to the wall on either side of Shawn's head and leaned in to kiss him. 

Shawn kissed like the kiss was the whole reason for his being. Aaron kissed back just as hard and just as passionate. Aaron wanted this. He wanted this so bad that he wasn't sure exactly how long he would last when Shawn started to touch him under his clothes. 

"If we stay here, someone will catch us and the second floor is a family. Don't need to scare the poor housewife with two men making out," Shawn said when he pushed Aaron back just enough to speak but not too far away to where Aaron couldn't feel his breaths on his lips. 

"Lead the way." Aaron waved to allow him to go first. He believed in full details even for a one night stand, not that he had had many. "It's been a long time since I've had sex of any kind other than my hand so please bear that in mind."

"Then we'll give you a little relief before the main event. I don't mind a good long wait before I get mine."

Aaron nodded even knowing that Shawn couldn't see him. When they hit the second-floor landing, Aaron wasn't shocked that the man didn't stop. Shawn started to move faster up the steps, but Aaron kept his pace the same, when he hit the third-floor landing he saw that Shawn had the door open already and was leaning against the left side. 

Shawn looked Aaron up and down again, his eyes darkening as he looked at Aaron. Shawn curled his finger, beckoning Aaron closer. Aaron stepped up to the doorway, allowing Shawn to grab him by the tie, drawing him into the living room area of the loft style apartment. 

"I have bottles of water and bottles of juice, which do you want?" 

"Water." Aaron looked around and saw that there were no walls. The bedroom area dominated the wall that was farthest from the door. There was a couch in the living room area. Aaron made up his mind and moved towards the bed. He toed off his shoes and tossed them back towards the door along with his socks. Shawn was likewise dressed when he appeared around the island that was in the kitchen. He had a bottle of water and a bottle of grape juice in his hand. His eyes were on the living room area, and when he realized that Aaron wasn't there, he turned around to find Aaron on the bed, leaning back, his arms braced there.

"I love the way that your mind works. Lay back, Aaron and I'm going make you feel wonderful." Shawn set the drinks on the nightstand, and he worked off his outer layers, looking at Aaron who did as he asked. Aaron could see the bulge in his pants really well from the angle that he was at but for once Aaron didn't want to cover up. Shawn's erection was straining against the boxers that he was wearing. Aaron reached out to him, trying to get the man to climb up on the bed and Aaron. 

Shawn opened the drawer on the nightstand and pulled out two condoms and a bottle of lube. He tossed the lube and one of the condoms up towards the pillows at Aaron's side, and he ripped open the second one. That he set on Aaron's stomach before he climbed up onto the bed, working Aaron's dress pants open as he did. 

"I'm going to get you off, Aaron. Then we can do a nice slow build up to sex. Does that sound good?"

"Yes." Aaron closed his eyes as Shawn pulled Aaron from the briefs that he was wearing. The condom was pressed down Aaron's cock. Aaron opened his eyes because he wanted to see this, he wanted to see what Shawn could make him feel. Shawn looked up, locking eyes with Aaron as he took Aaron's encased cock into his mouth. The man hummed and made it seem like just the thought of Aaron in his mouth was going to make him come. Aaron didn't hold back, knowing that the show wasn't going to be over when he came. It was too short of a time of Shawn bobbing his head on Aaron's cock before Aaron came, filling the condom. Shawn kept sucking until right before Aaron became too sensitive. 

"You were right that it's been a while for you. I can't wait until you are buried inside of me, Aaron." Shawn pressed a kiss into Aaron's hip as his fingers worked the condom off of Aaron, tying it off and tossing it somewhere above Aaron's head. When he turned his focus back to Aaron, he had such a grin on his face that Aaron couldn't resist pulling him down and into a kiss. Aaron expected the taste of latex in his mouth as Aaron dipped his tongue inside but instead of that, he tasted what he thought might be strawberries. Aaron figured that it had to be flavored condoms. Shawn pressed his cock into Aaron's hip, humping him slowly but not enough to get him off. 

Aaron lost himself in kissing Shawn, not wanting to stop, even when he felt Shawn trying to pull back. He wasn't trying that hard, so Aaron didn't figure that he was doing anything wrong. Aaron didn't let him go, kept on kissing him, and after a few minutes, Shawn gave up trying to get away. Aaron could feel himself hardening up again, he knew that since it had been so long since he'd had sex that once his sex drive was kicked in again, he would be able to go several times that night. He hoped that Shawn didn't mind him staying for a while because Aaron wanted to make the most of their time together. 

A chime from a phone drew Aaron out of his thoughts. He felt the vibration from his hip that said it was his phone in his pants. And it was Jessica's texting ringtone. 

"Do you have to get that?"

"Yes but it's just my sister checking in on me. She's watching my son tonight."

"Then I'm going to go about my plan of stripping you naked while you call her."

"I should just be able to text." Aaron dug his hand down into his pocket and retrieved his phone. Shawn felt up both pockets, finding the one with Aaron's wallet inside of it, he pulled that out and set it on the chair beside the bed. Aaron wasn't worried about the man stealing. Aaron had most of his cash in his safe at the house as well as his credit cards. Aaron never carried much of either on him. He had two credit cards and his debit card. His debit was with him and a little cash, enough to have covered his tab if he had been there longer. When he left for work, he would take more with him, but that was just in case there was a problem on a case. More than once Aaron had needed to buy clothes while on a case or other things that were required. There had been the time before Greenaway had joined the team that JJ had started her period early and the only place in the small town that they were in didn't take credit or debit. So Gideon, Morgan, Brannon, and Aaron had all chipped in to get JJ what she needed as her bag had been lost before they had even boarded the plane, along with all of her essentials. JJ had bought replacements for everything, but then she had got a surprise. JJ had been so red in the face when Aaron had taken the tampons to her. 

Aaron shook himself out of thoughts and focused on his phone, realizing that Shawn had his pants off of him. Jessica had sent a picture of Jack asleep in Aaron's bed, cuddled down into the blankets. Aaron smiled. She also had a note attached that he wanted to sleep in a big person's bed. Aaron made a note to himself to go shopping for something for him on the weekend. He was getting big for his trundle bed, and something with a bunk bed feature would be good. Aaron intended Jack to have a lot of friends and having a bunk bed would be good. 

"Everything good?" Shawn asked as he crawled back up Aaron's body.

"Yes. Sister was just sending me a picture of my son asleep in my bed. I'll have to take him shopping for a bigger bed soon."

Shawn hummed, telling Aaron that the man didn't know what to say about it all so instead Aaron reached up and drew the man down, kissing him hard. Shawn was still hard, Aaron found out when he reached down to cup the man through his underwear. Shawn's hips jerked, and it wasn't long before the man was panting into Aaron's mouth. 

"You are too good at that."

"Thank you." 

Shawn smiled at Aaron before he slipped up and out of Aaron's hold, plucking at his shirt as he did. "Get that off."

Aaron leaned up on the bed to where he could strip out of his dress shirt before he touched the hem of his undershirt. He looked at Shawn for a second before he spoke. "I don't want to discuss my scars, any of them."

"Don't worry, I don't either." Shawn stripped off his undershirt at the same time that Aaron did, and Aaron could see the scars that he was talking about but Shawn's looked like they were from a knife fight with someone. Shawn's eyes looked over the nine scars that were scattered around on Aaron's chest. His eyes widened, but he said nothing. He didn't reach out to touch them. Aaron was glad about that. "How do you want to fuck me?"

"What position do you prefer?"

"I love to ride my lovers, but most don't care for that. They don't get to go as hard or as fast as they like."

"Don't worry. I'm quite fine with that." Aaron didn't care what position they did it in but him on his back with Shawn above him was perfect for Aaron because that meant that Shawn wouldn't try and touch his back at all. Aaron thought about that as Shawn leaned forward to grab the condom and lube from where he has tossed it. They both still had on underwear, but Aaron was sure that those would be going away soon. As if reading his mind, Shawn slipped off of Aaron's lap, and he did drop his boxers to the floor before he leaned forward and spread his hands on Aaron's thighs, the tips of his fingers touching the edge of Aaron's briefs.

Aaron nodded at the unspoken question, tucking his legs up so that Shawn could slip the fabric off of him quickly. Shawn's hand moved to Aaron's cock, stroking him the rest of the way to hardness. Aaron groaned as his pulse started to race again. Shawn handed him the condom. Aaron moved to where he was in the middle of the bed, laying with his head on the pillows. Shawn moved with him straddling his waist. He snapped opened the lid on the lube and offered it to Aaron, but Aaron shook his head. He wanted to watch Shawn finger himself open. 

Shawn looked like a wonder, the look on his face was blissful as he fingered himself open. Aaron grabbed his thighs, holding him still as he pressed three fingers into his ass. Aaron couldn't see it, but he could see the effect on Shawn's face and on his cock. Aaron watched the head of Shawn's cock drip fluid. Aaron couldn't help but reach out and smear the liquid all around the head of Shawn's cock. Shawn shuddered.

"I'm ready. Get that condom on now." 

Aaron quickly and carefully rolled the cock down his cock, pinching the head. Even before he got his hand away from the base of his cock, Shawn was sliding down the head. Aaron groaned as Shawn didn't even pause when he was all the way down Aaron's cock. Shawn moved hard and fast on Aaron's cock, rocking and sometimes just flat out falling on Aaron's cock. Aaron had never done sex hard and fast like this, he got too worked up, grabbing Shawn's hips and holding him in place, leveraging up to where he could thrust up into the man using his muscular legs. Shawn's mouth dropped open in pleasure as Aaron took over the entirety of the thrusting. 

Shawn came with a cry as Aaron kept thrusting into him. Aaron dropped his legs onto the bed, and he pulled Shawn down onto him as he filled the condom. Aaron laid on the bed and panted, looking at Shawn's face as the man gasped. 

"I want to take a nap and try that again."

"Sure." Aaron didn't want to move, but he knew that he had to. He gripped the base of the condom as Shawn lifted off of him. His hand flapped towards the bathroom as he dropped to the bed. 

Morning came, and Aaron didn't want to face it. He was on the edge of the bed, looking at Shawn as the man slept. The man was long and lanky, Aaron knew that, but he hadn't really realized there were that many similarities between Shawn and Spencer until he really looked at the man. He had the same cheekbones as Spencer, the same full and open eyes. 

Slipping from the bed, Aaron dressed quickly and left before Shawn could wake up. He had gone home with a stranger who reminded him of Spencer and fucked the man twice. Aaron didn't want to see Shawn or Spencer. Aaron especially didn't want to see Spencer. Aaron looked at the time as he hit fresh air. There was no way that Jack wasn't already awake. Aaron didn't rush home, he tried to clear his head. He had been careful with Shawn. There was no risky part of the encounter. Aaron still wanted to shower. 

When Aaron rounded the block, he saw that there was a car that Aaron knew well in the driveway. He didn't want to see Spencer, but it seemed that Spencer was over to spend time with Jack. Aaron dug his phone out of his pants. He'd shoved it in there when he had been getting dressed. He found the text from Jessica that told him that Jack had wanted to learn some science words, so she had asked Spencer to come over. 

Aaron plastered on the best face that he had. It was his serious face, and he didn't like wearing it at home, but if it got him upstairs and into the shower without having to look at Spencer or talk to Spencer, Aaron would wear it. He knew that Jack would forgive him for not stopping to say hello.

Jack met Aaron at the door, Aaron wrapped a hand around his son's back and Jack hugged him.

"Hey, buddy. I smell like Uncle Dave's cigars. I'm going to go shower, and then I'll come down and play." Aaron didn't look where he knew Spencer was. He did not want to see his face and know that the young man would be able to tell that he was lying. Aaron shut and locked his bedroom door as soon as he got into it and stripped naked. He took his suit and threw it into the back of his closet. He grabbed the sheet off of his bed, throwing it over the top. 

Aaron didn't know what he thought that he would look like when he looked at himself in the mirror, but the man staring back at him looked the same as he always did. Aaron rolled his shoulders trying to get rid of the itch of his scar between his shoulder blades. Aaron could almost feel the itch of it like it was healing all over again. Aaron hated that reminder more than anything else that his father did to him. 

There was only so long that Aaron could delay the inevitable. Jessica and Jack knew how long it took him to shower. Even when he was indulging in a nice long relaxing one. Jack was probably going to want Spencer to stay for lunch, Aaron knew that because the boy adored Spencer and Aaron now understood why he gave in to Jack when Jack wanted Spencer, Aaron wanted him too. Now Spencer was on the team, and it was only so long before Spencer and Dave, followed by the rest of the team knew that he wanted Spencer. Aaron was too young for a midlife crisis but as Aaron thought about Spencer, his cock filled. Aaron disregarded it and finished up his shower. If he was less than civil with Spencer. The young man would leave. He didn't like to be around where he wasn't wanted. Aaron had learned that in the short time that he was in the unit. Aaron just hoped that when he had a clearer head and reined in his attraction to the younger man, Spencer would forgive him. 

* * *

Spencer buried his face in the pillow that was in his lap. Jessica was sitting in the chair across from him laughing loudly at Jack, who was playing with a few stuffed animals and some soldiers. While there was no running commentary from Jack about what was going on between them all, both Spencer and Jessica knew what Jack was doing. The shock of arriving and only finding Jessica and Jack there had been jarring. Jessica had been the one to text and Spencer had just thought that Aaron might have been asleep. 

A hand on Spencer's face drew him out of his thoughts. He looked up from the pillow to find Jack right there.

"Why do you hide your face when you laugh?" Jack looked very upset about it.

Spencer set aside the pillow and held out his hands. Jack crawled up and into his lap. Spencer tucked his head over Jack's shoulder so that he could see his hands as Spencer signed.

"I found out from a young age that my father didn't like to see me laugh with no sound coming out. So I either never laughed, or I hid my face in my pillow." Spencer wasn't going to lie to Jack about something like that, even if the story was a horrible one. Jack needed to know what he could face. Children bully each other but adults who bullied children were worse. 

Jessica gasped, and Spencer looked at her. He could see the evidence of tears in her eyes. Spencer just shrugged a shoulder, and she nodded. There wasn't anything that could be done about Spencer's childhood but making sure that Jack's was better was a good start. Jack jumped out of Spencer's lap, going for the front door. Spencer marveled at the boy's ability to hear his father coming home, even if he was walking. Jessica hadn't said where Aaron was, but Spencer knew that wherever he was, he had walked. 

The door opened, and there was the murmur of Aaron's voice from the little foyer. Spencer laid the pillow down on the couch beside him and straightened his legs. He had no clue what Aaron was going to think of him being there. He did not want to upset the man, but he also knew that Aaron didn't mind Spencer helping Jack with learning sign language and the words that Jack wanted to learn were right up Spencer's alley. 

Aaron didn't even look at Spencer or Jessica as he retreated towards the upstairs of the house. Jack walked behind him pouting at his father until Aaron was gone from sight up the stairs. Jack stood there at the bottom of the steps and frowned upward at the father that could no longer see him. Spencer heard something about cigars when Aaron had been murmuring at his son but when Jack came back and settled down into Spencer's lap that smell was not there. Spencer looked at Jessica. Before she raised her hands, she looked at Jack who had his face buried in Spencer's chest.

"He was out settling down after the case. I don't know where he was, but Haley talked about him liking a bar nearby. I don't know if he slept there, which some are known to do or if he went home with someone."

That last part was more than Spencer needed to know, but he understood why Aaron was going for the shower. Spencer thought about what Jack wanted from him and thought that maybe the next day would be better. Give Aaron a chance to calm down and get back to himself before he was bombarded with someone who wasn't family.

"I'm going to go. Tell Jack that I'll come over tomorrow and we can do science and sign language."

Jessica looked like she agreed and was about to say something when Jack jumped out of Spencer's lap and ran to the front door. The sound of the deadbolt slotting into place and then Jack feet running towards the kitchen said that he had seen what Spencer said.

"I think this means you are staying, even if it means that Jack has to lock you inside. I'll go and talk to Aaron, see what's wrong. Because that was not normal for him."

"Don't worry about it. I'll go and talk to Jack, and we can see about maybe setting up in the kitchen. That way we won't be in Aaron's way." Spencer realized after he had signed that he had called him Aaron and not Hotch. He had been calling him Aaron in his head and Hotch verbally through his phone and through his hands since the cookout the month previous. He couldn't believe that he had slipped up and with Jessica at that. At least it was better than doing it in front of Rossi. 

Spencer didn't say anything, just got up off of the couch and moved toward the kitchen. Jack was sitting in the corner, his legs up to his chest. Clutched in his hand was a set of keys. As soon as Jack saw Spencer, he slipped his hand with the keys down low into the v made between his stomach and his legs. Spencer saw the playbill on it that said that it was his keys. Jack had to have grabbed them from where they had been sitting on top of Spencer's messenger bag on the table in the foyer. Spencer was happy he was just holding them instead of trying to flush them or something. 

Jack refused to look up at Spencer, so Spencer went back to the living room and grabbed his phone. 

" _You have to look at me to listen, Jack. I'm not going to leave._ "

"Promise?" Jack looked up at Spencer as he asked, so Spencer set his phone aside. 

"I promise."

Jack stood up and slipped the keys into his pocket. Spencer smiled as it made Jack's pocket bulge. 

"Why don't you go and hide those somewhere? I promise to stay here and not look." Spencer exaggerated placing his hands over his eyes and sat down on the floor. Spencer listened to Jack near running out of the room, but he didn't move. Spencer was sure that he heard feet on steps and wondered why Jack was hiding the keys upstairs. The soft pad of feet a few seconds later had Spencer looking up, but it wasn't Jack coming back into the room. It was Aaron, standing there in a pair of jeans and button up shirt that was not buttoned. Spencer scrambled to his feet as he tried to think of something to say that was not him saying that he was going to leave. Or say he was sorry for being here so early.

Aaron said nothing but moved to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. He went right to the back door and exited, still saying nothing to Spencer. Spencer watched Aaron as he moved to the lounger under the awning of the porch and settled down with a blanket on top of him. Spencer wanted to go to him and tell him that he was sorry for being there. That Spencer didn't know until after he had already got there that Aaron didn't know that Spencer was coming over. Hell, Spencer wanted to apologize for whatever had Aaron in the mood that he was in. The look on Aaron's face when Aaron had seen Spencer on the floor in his kitchen would have made a lesser man apologize for a lot of things that they hadn't done. Spencer though knew the look on his face, and he wondered exactly what Spencer had done to him. Spencer hadn't even left the station during the last case. The dump sites were not that statistically relevant other than their location within the city. 

Jack came back into the room with a grin on his face. He had a book in his hand that had science experiments in it. Jack's eyes tracked to his father outside, and the boy grinned even brighter before he handed the book to Spencer as he passed him. Jack went right outside into the cold air and hugged his father before kissing his cheek and coming back inside. Spencer wondered if it was better if Spencer did leave after just a little while. Aaron was going to stay away from Jack as long as Jack was with Spencer. 

"Let him be, Spencer. He's going to brood all day no matter what so you being here to entertain Jack will be welcome. I need to run to the store. We are out of a few things. I thought that we could do pizza for lunch. There is a nice place a few blocks over that does little pizzas however you want. We can walk there?"

Jack jumped up and down, nodding his head. 

"Good. I'll tell Aaron that he can join us or find his own food." Jessica leaned in and kissed Spencer's cheek. Jessica made a noise that it took Spencer to place and when he looked at Jessica he could see her looking outside. She was looking at Aaron whose head was in the process of moving to where he wasn't looking at them. 

Jessica went out to the back porch and leaned over Aaron saying something but Spencer wasn't paying attention to that as he turned to head into the living room. Jack followed behind, and Spencer wasn't shocked when he was pushed down onto the couch so that Jack could sit in his lap. Jack spread the book on his lap so that Spencer could read it. Spencer looked at the words in the book and saw that Jack had circled some of them in pencil. Spencer flipped to the front of the book and saw that Aaron's handwriting declared the book Jack Hotchner's. Spencer was glad because he did not want to have to teach Jack about writing in books that were not his. 

Spencer lost himself in words and learning with Jack, but he kept an ear out for Aaron coming in and leaving the kitchen. Spencer was shocked that Aaron was staying away like he was. He expected him to come in and spend time with Jack at least. It was nice though, being at the center of Jack's attention, even if just for an hour of time. Jack was a sponge that Spencer didn't think would ever be filled. Even only the short time that Jack had been at his preschool, he was so much more verbose with his words. When he was speaking again, and Spencer knew that he was going to talk again, Jack was going most likely skip a grade or two once he had a verbal grasp once again of his language. Spencer was sure that the Headmistress at New Haven was keeping a close eye on him. 

Jack slipped off of Spencer's lap making the sign for the bathroom before moving towards the area where Spencer knew a half bath was. Spencer hadn't used it the day of the cookout, but he had seen Morgan and Prentiss slipping into it. Spencer had used the outside bathroom in the shed. He hadn't liked invading Aaron's house any more than he had to. That thought hadn't even entered his mind today. Jack had wanted him, and Jessica had reached out. 

"Spencer, can you help me with the groceries?" 

Spencer looked up from where he had been looking at the book of experiments and thinking to see Jessica standing in the doorway with two armfuls of groceries. Spencer jumped up and moved toward where the trunk of the car was still open. Spencer saw that there were at least two more trips worth in there. He grabbed as many as he could and rushed the groceries inside so that Jessica wouldn't come out to get the other. She was putting up some things in the freezer and in the fridge from her load so Spencer was able to slip back outside and get the rest. Once he had dropped those off, he went back out, shut the trunk and made sure that the keys were not inside the car before he locked it and closed the door. He wasn't sure if Jessica locked the doors on her car or not, but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

"Thank you so much, Spencer," Jessica said as Spencer came back into the kitchen. Spencer nodded and smiled at her. She handed over two bags and pointed to a cabinet that was under the counter right next to the stove. "That's where canned food goes. I'm sure that it will just take a few seconds for you to figure out Aaron's method for how he likes them. I'm going to take the rest of the frozen things down into the basement freezer. You are such a sweetie." 

Spencer was crouched down when Jessica passed by him. She laid her hand on top of his head and threaded her fingers through his hair for a few seconds before she ruffled it. Spencer didn't know what to do so he allowed it, starting to put up the cans. Aaron's sorting methods were not strange and made sense. 

"You have the softest hair. I don't think I ever want to stop touching it." Jessica did stop after a few more passes through his hair. 

When Jessica's steps echo nearly faded from Spencer's hearing, he reached up and tried to tame his hair back down. He looked up, and when he made sure that she wasn't at the basement door, he saw that Hotch was looking at him. Spencer swallowed at the look that Aaron was giving him. Spencer vowed to have the cans put up before Jessica got back upstairs because the look that Aaron was giving him made him want to run. Spencer wondered if Aaron would calm down if he went over there and told him that he was not interested in Jessica as anything more than a distant friend. Spencer would never do that to a coworker. He would never date the sister of a coworker, and no matter what the law said, Jessica was Aaron's sister. 

Spencer placed the empty bags on the counter where Jessica had set the ones that she had emptied and hightailed it out of the kitchen as he heard Jessica's footsteps heading up the stairs. Jack was in the living room looking at the book, so Spencer sat down beside him. 

"I usually am the one that puts up cans. Thank you, Spencer."

Spencer reached over and ruffled Jack's hair. He didn't want to say anything, even with his hands because he had a tendency for spilling what was on his mind and Jack was too young to understand what was wrong. Spencer instead had Jack change his focus from Spencer, Jessica, and groceries to the book again. Jack had little post-it notes in his hand that were purple.

"Daddy buys me post-it notes when we go to the store because I like to use them and I have my own desk drawer of office supplies in his office so that I know what I can use and what I can't."

"That's really cool, Jack. So why do you have them right now?"

"I want to mark the experiments that I want to do with you in purple. Aunt Jessica is going to be pink, and Daddy is going to be blue."

"Is blue his favorite color?" Spencer asked. He hadn't been able to actually figure out the man's favorite color. He did dress in more blues, blacks, and grays but those were the typical colors for most suits. 

"No, but I don't have yellow post-it notes. Daddy found me the purple ones, and I have a lot of things wrote down on them that have to do with you."

"Like what?" Spencer was a little shocked at that. He didn't realize that Jack would want notes on him.

"Questions that I want to ask you. Sometimes it's things that I want to say to make you happy."

"Oh." Spencer watched as Jack flipped to the front of the book and started to stick a purple post-it note on the first page. Spencer remembered him talking about wanting to do it with Spencer. Spencer didn't touch the topic of things that were on the purple post-it notes in Jack's room again. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say in answer to that. 

"Jack, we are leaving in a little over an hour to go to lunch," Jessica called from the kitchen. She didn't pop her head out or make sure that Jack was listening in any fashion. "I noticed that you didn't pick up the action figures on the floor in your room earlier. You need to do that, or it's water with lunch and then no toys until you do." 

Jack dutifully closed the book in his hands before setting it down on the coffee table. Instead of going to his room though, Jack moved to the bookshelf in the corner and grabbed a book. He walked it over to Spencer. 

"I need to clean my room. I don't want you to get bored and leave," Jack said before he handed over the book. Spencer took the book and looked at the cover. He saw that there was a purple post it on it, but instead of Jack's careful very early handwriting, it was Aaron's with Spencer's name on it. It was the first book in the spy series that Spencer and Aaron had read on the jet. Spencer smiled at Jack, and the boy took off. Spencer got up from the couch and moved to the bookshelf. The books that were there were well taken care of and in perfect condition, or at least the dust jackets were. Spencer stopped though when he realized that there was a copy of the book already there. Spencer opened the cover and saw that Aaron had written in the book. _To Spencer with fondness, Aaron Hotchner._ Spencer wasn't sure what to make of the fact that Aaron was acting like he was, not even telling Spencer a good morning but he had bought a book for Spencer. 

Aaron Hotchner was a man that Spencer didn't understand all the time. Some of the things that he did were very understandable, some only understandable with some thought but this. Spencer didn't know what this was. He didn't understand why Aaron was upset with him from the moment that he got home it seemed. If all it was was that he didn't want Spencer there after a night out, he should just say so. There was a part of this all that Spencer didn't know, and that part was stopping him from understanding. Spencer set the book back down where Jack had got it from. While it was a gift for Spencer, it wasn't Jack's to give and Spencer would rather wait and either get it from Aaron or never receive it at all if Aaron had rethought the friendship that Spencer thought they were building. 

Spencer didn't think that Aaron was someone who would actually use someone for personal gain, but it seemed that Spencer had again worn out his welcome somewhere and he hadn't known it. Spencer grabbed his book that he had brought with him and sat down on the couch. He turned his back to the arm and tucked his sock covered feet up onto the couch, laying the book on top of them. Spencer wrapped an arm around his feet and self-soothed by pressing his body as tight as it could get. 

A half an hour passed, Spencer keeping track of time by the pages that he turned. There were the soft sounds of Jack cleaning his room, and Spencer listened with half an ear, it was the only reason that he heard the back door open and then Aaron's soft footsteps through the house. Spencer didn't look up when Aaron moved across the living room and sat down in the chair near the window. Spencer could feel his gaze on him, but he didn't care. Spencer just kept on reading. He wasn't going to start the conversation. 

Silence, except for Spencer turning pages in his book, filled the living room until Jack came downstairs at the same time that Jessica exited the kitchen. 

"You guys ready?" Jessica asked, first looking at Spencer and then looking at Aaron. 

Spencer closed up his book and moved toward his bag, and when he did, he remembered that Jack had his car keys. Spencer turned to look at the boy who was diving under the couch cushion that Spencer had been sitting on. When he came out, Spencer's keys were in his hand. Spencer laughed and waited for the boy to rush to him before he slipped his book into his bag. 

"Can I ride with Spencer?" Jack asked Aaron. Spencer kept this eyes on Jack, afraid that the man would deny Jack just for the simple fact of Spencer looking at him. 

"Sure, Jack. I'll get the booster seat from my car, and we can put it in Spencer's." Jessica sounded happy, so Spencer looked up at her. The look on her face though was stormy, and Spencer realized that she was looking at Aaron. Spencer didn't look at him though. If he didn't want Jack riding with Spencer, then he could say something. 

Getting the seat moved over into Spencer's car took no time at all. Jack was quiet in the backseat, not moving around, not kicking the seat. Spencer had never driven with a kid in his car, so he was a little shocked that it wasn't like some of those movies that he had seen where the kids were hellions. 

Spencer arrived last at the restaurant, taking his time and making sure that he drove carefully to not upset Aaron. However, when Spencer and Jack entered the pizza place, Spencer was shocked to see that Jessica was sitting opposite Aaron in a booth. He had expected them to be seated beside each other. Jack ran forward, letting go of Spencer's hand. Spencer wasn't sure what he wanted because he was either going to be seated beside Aaron or beside Jessica and at the moment, neither was a good idea. He wondered if he could fake sick and leave. 

Before Spencer could make a decision, Jack slid into the seat beside his father, and Jessica patted the seat beside her. He didn't want to sit beside her, and he really didn't want to sit beside Aaron either. Yet the sides had been drawn and Spencer could either leave and upset Jack or stay and get Aaron more upset at him. Spencer's affection for Jack won out, and he sat down beside Jessica. 

The waitress appeared as if summoned.

"I'll have an unsweet tea, and my son will have a half cut tea, please."

Spencer turned to Jessica to start to sign what he wanted, but Jessica wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the waitress.

"I'll have a Pibb, and he'll have a sweet tea, lite ice." 

Spencer looked at her, a little shocked. After the waitress left, Jessica looked down at Spencer. She smiled at him and winked. The rest of the meal went like that, Jessica acting weird and Aaron only talking to Jack. He hadn't even said a word to Jessica since Spencer sat down. 

Jack wasn't upset with Spencer when he decided to leave after he had shoved the last bite of his pizza in his mouth. Spencer couldn't stand to be around Aaron anymore. He was glad that they had tomorrow off for Spencer to get used to the new Aaron. For all Spencer knew it was the Aaron, he had always been, and he had just been different around Spencer because he had needed Spencer. That thought made Spencer's stomach churn even more.

The whole way home, Spencer hardened himself towards the man. It would help with the feelings that Spencer had for him because it would mean that nothing ever would come of it. Aaron was just like everyone else, he saw Spencer as a tool to be used. First to try and fix his son and now as the genius for his team. Spencer would just tell Jack that maybe it would be better if they got together when out and about and Jessica was the only one around. 

Curiosity was at the door, sitting on the stand, chirping as Spencer unlocked the door and took care of the alarm. Spencer hung his bag up on the coat rack before he picked up Curiosity as he toed off his shoes and socks. Spencer marveled at Curiosity's ability to know when there was something wrong with Spencer even before he got into the apartment. Curiosity didn't try and get out of his arms, so Spencer carried him into the kitchen. He opened up the wine fridge that he had on his counter. It was full of various white wines. Spencer grabbed a bottle of Moscato and set Curiosity down in his spot on the counter. He sat there chirping at Spencer as Spencer popped the cork on his wine and found the glass that he wanted. He carried both into the living room before he moved back to get Curiosity.

Before sitting down, Spencer found his DVD of one of his favorite performances of Phantom of the Opera and loaded it into his player. He sat down on the couch and filled his glass much higher than what it would be in a restaurant. Turing to put his feet on the couch, Spencer got into his self-soothe position, and Curiosity stretched across his feet, keeping them warm. It wasn't long before Spencer was filling up the glass again. 

Phantom ended as Spencer was filling up his glass again. This time it emptied it. Spencer looked at the time, and it was only just a few minutes after six so Spencer moved to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle. Spencer was going to be staying home so there was no reason that he couldn't enjoy a bottle of wine or two or possibly even three. There were three other bottles, but Spencer wouldn't touch them. 

Sighing, Spencer glanced over at his DVD shelves as he set the bottle down beside the now empty one. He frowned as he tried to figure out which one was going to be the one to watch. Spencer grabbed the last DVD on the shelf, Madame Butterfly. It would hold him over until he went to bed, whenever it ended. Spencer didn't stop drinking and watching, and when he hit the third act of Madame Butterfly, Spencer laid down finally and closed his eyes, letting the sound of the play wash over him. 

Spencer groaned as his bladder woke him up. He waited for Curiosity to move off of his chest before he rolled off the couch. From that position, Spencer debated crawling. He regretted the second bottle of wine and abhorred the third that he had drunk but knew that he would have made the same choice again. In Vino Veritas and all of that shit. Spencer felt a little better, more centered because his armor was wrapped around him again. He had been stupid to let Hotch in the first time. There was a reason that he was better off alone. He was able to stuff his attraction to Hotch down into the hole it belonged in, and soon the dirt covering it would settle, and grass would grow, and nothing would look out of place. 

After taking care of business, Spencer pulled his phone from his messenger bag. He saw that the message light was blinking so he woke the phone up. Spencer saw a lot of notifications. He dismissed the emails to deal with in the morning. There were pop-ups from sites that he followed that he rejected as well. What shocked him was that he had a text message from around seven the evening before. Opening up the function, Spencer saw that it was from Hotch. He closed the function and moved back to the couch. He had been tired right up until he saw the message from Hotch. Spencer tossed his phone onto the couch before he walked to the kitchen to get water. He grabbed his water bottle that he used when he went on runs and filled it with water from the fridge. 

Spencer sat down on the couch opposite where he threw the phone. He stared at where the message was still blinking because he hadn't read it. Curiosity jumped onto the couch and stared at the phone as well. Spencer watched Curiosity watch the phone for several minutes before the cat moved around the phone in a circle several times before nosing it towards Spencer. Spencer grabbed the phone, unlocked it, and read the message. 

** Spencer, I am sorry for how I acted this morning and at lunch. You had done nothing to deserve how I acted. I did something stupid, and in taking it out on myself, I took it out on everyone around me and you the worst. I have already told Jack and Jessica that I am sorry and there is only you left. I know that I have already said I am sorry, but I mean it, Spencer. **

Spencer just stared at the message. Words were hollow unless there was action behind them, Spencer knew this better than most. 

_ It's okay, Hotch _

Spencer tossed his phone onto the couch between his feet and stared at it. He didn't know what to make of what Hotch said. He wasn't sure what had prompted the apology. Still, it meant nothing. Spencer jumped a little when he heard the chime go off telling him that Hotch had texted back. Spencer didn't hesitate when he grabbed the phone. 

** No, Spencer, it's really not okay how I treated you today. You are my friend, and I did not treat you like that today. Today, I treated you like you were someone that I hate and I did not mean that. I don't hate you. I could never hate you. **

Spencer silenced any text from Hotch because JJ was the one to text about cases so if one came up. He didn't want to hear from Hotch at all until he saw him on Monday morning when he went into the office. Unless a case came up, Spencer planned to make a dent in his DVDs that he had ordered of various plays that had been staged worldwide. There was a beautiful version of Carmen put on by Comedie-Francaise. Spencer would just stay away from wine and veg on the couch. Spencer made plans about where he was going to go and do some shopping for his day of vegging out on the couch and building up his armor once more.


	10. December 2009

Aaron parked his car in the middle of the parking garage for the courthouse. The courthouse was packed like it always was. He looked into his rearview mirror and saw Jack was playing with the stuffed penguin that Spencer had got for him at an outing to the zoo. Aaron remembered the feeling in his stomach when he realized that Jessica and Jack's excursion to the zoo had included Spencer but that Jessica hadn't told Aaron that beforehand. Aaron couldn't blame her for not telling him. Aaron would have not gone on his training day with a few of the other agents in the Bureau who were trying to get Aaron to do the triathlon that the FBI was putting on in a few months time. Aaron had started to run with a particular group that always got together on the weekends for a group run. Aaron had missed a few due to cases, but still, Aaron would have done it to have some time with Spencer outside of work. 

Spencer was the consummate professional while they were working, but even the rest of the team noticed that Spencer wasn't as close to Aaron as they had been. Ever since that stupid one night stand and the fallout of Aaron acting like an asshole to the younger man the day after. Aaron had even extended an olive branch just the case before. Giving Spencer the first book in Aaron's spy series so that the younger man could understand the book that they had read together on the way home many cases before. Spencer had thanked him with his phone and slipped the book into his bag before he had gone back to whatever text he had been reading earlier. It was in Italian and Aaron didn't remember enough to translate the title. Aaron hadn't seen the book since. 

Aaron knew that he had made a colossal mistake the second after Spencer had left the pizza place they had been eating lunch at. Jessica had pinned him with a look on her that Aaron knew would have killed him, if looks could kill. Jack had been thankfully unaware of what was going on, but as soon as they got home and Jack went up to his room, Jessica had laid into him. Jessica had only flirted with him to force Aaron to stop acting like a dick and come and save the man that he liked. Spencer had not really got what she was doing, and Aaron had just kept acting worse and worse to Spencer. 

The sound of a tiny fist banging on the side of the car pulled Aaron out of his thoughts. He looked at Jack again in the rearview mirror to see the boy was getting restless.

"Ready, Buddy?" Aaron asked as he opened up his car door. Aaron's work things were stored in the trunk, including his gun in the travel case. Aaron didn't expect to need it that day at all, the case could take all day. Aaron moved around the car and opened up Jack's door. Jack waited for Aaron to unbuckle him before he wiggled forward so that Aaron could get him out without banging his head. Aaron set him down on the concrete floor of the garage before Aaron reached back in and grabbed his briefcase from the seat behind the driver's seat. It was full of everything that Aaron thought that he could need for his case. 

Aaron hung the strap for the briefcase on his shoulder before he reached down to take Jack's hand. The little boy clenched his fingers around Aaron's two, squeezing tight. Aaron knew that Jack would preferably be held, but Aaron didn't want to crease either of their suits. His upbringing of looking perfect in public was rearing its ugly head, and Aaron knew that the court didn't care. They were in suits and carrying his son wasn't going to upset them, but it was too much ingrained in him. 

The courthouse was packed with people, so Aaron kept Jack close as they exited the elevator that led to the check-in area on the first floor. Aaron hadn't been inside of this courthouse ever. He was used to the Federal ones in DC and the State ones for cases. 

"Agent Hotchner," one of the guards said as Aaron stepped into line. Aaron looked at him and started forward again when the guard waved him up. There was a different line and set of scanners for court officers and other officials. "I thought maybe you'd like this line. Jack will have to go through on his own, and there are no strangers in this line." 

Aaron looked where he said and saw that Morgan and Garcia were there having just gone through the scanners, and JJ was about to go through. Aaron nodded his thanks, but he didn't say anything. Aaron waited for JJ to go through before he laid his briefcase on the conveyor belt and pulled his hand forward, getting Jack in front of him. He crouched to bring himself face to face with his son. 

"Jack you have to go through this metal detector by yourself. Remember you don't touch the sides and go through kind of slow. Can you do that?"

Jack looked at the machine and then back at Aaron before he nodded.

"Good. When you get through, go over there to JJ." Aaron pointed where JJ was just a few feet away from the metal detector. Aaron stood up as Jack turned toward the machine. He watched as his son stepped through all by himself and Aaron hated that it was even something that had to be done. That kids were scanned because people used them for their own stupid schemes. JJ held out her hand, and Jack stepped up and took it. Aaron walked through and smiled when the scanner didn't go off. He finally had found a belt that didn't set them off. 

The guard who was watching the machine nodded for Aaron to go ahead and go. 

"I didn't know you guys were going to be here," Aaron said as he stepped up to take Jack's other hand. Jack didn't let go of JJ's hand so the trio moved through the building towards the large staircase that would bring them up to the main level. Aaron knew that they were on the third floor, but Aaron wanted to take the steps. It would give him time to clear his head and to quit thinking about Spencer. He wasn't shocked that Spencer hadn't come to the court to check on it. Spencer had made sure to not be alone around Aaron unless they were the only ones in the office, but even then he was so buried in casework that Aaron knew better than to interrupt him.

"Rossi's already up with Jessica. I guess they arrived at the same time. Rossi texted and told us not to wait for him."

"Jessica left before Jack and I. We had a few snags with his suit, and then we misplaced the tie that I was going to wear."

JJ gave Aaron a smile that told him that she knew that well. Aaron gave her a smile back before focusing on the steps. Jack wasn't shying away from people that they passed them on the stairs, which Aaron was thankful for, it was probably why Jack hadn't let go of JJ's hand, a protector on each side of him. 

"So, dinner tonight?" Morgan asked.

"What?" Aaron looked away from a couple that was passing him and looked at Morgan as he realized that they were on the floor they needed. Morgan smiled at Aaron. 

"Rossi wanted to do a team dinner tonight. I guess he already booked the place. Well more a team family dinner."

"Sure." Aaron didn't really want to, but he knew that no matter which way the case went, it would be good for Jack to be around those he considered his family. Aaron saw Jack sign something with his hand that wasn't holding JJ's anymore. "Repeat that, Jack."

Jack turned to face Aaron a little better, dropping Aaron's hand to sign with two hands. 

"I don't know if Spencer is going to come today." Aaron looked up at Morgan who shrugged his shoulders. JJ shrugged as well. Jack nodded and pointed towards the room that had the right number on it. JJ, Morgan, and Garcia entered the room while leaving Aaron and Jack just outside of it. Aaron crouched down to Jack's level again. "Remember, you have to sit with Aunt Jessica in the gallery. I have to sit up with my lawyer. Your grandfather will be on the opposite side of the room."

Jack nodded and reached to push the door. Thankfully, it was the family court, so the room was much less scary than a regular courtroom. There was even a mural on the wall behind where the judge was. Jack had sat with the judge and spoke to her with an interpreter the day before. Aaron still didn't know if she was going to call Jack up to the stand to talk in the actual court proceedings or not. Kids his age were hard to swear in, even in family court. Aaron let Jack walk in front of him without trying to call him back. Jack found Jessica and sat with her. The team, minus Spencer, was stretched across the seats behind her. Aaron nodded at Rossi before he moved up to sit beside his lawyer. 

"The judge is going to be a few minutes late. A kid puked on her in the hallway, so she's going to get changed."

"That's fine." 

Aaron adjusted himself in his seat and tried to sit like he wasn't a prosecutor. He had been in a courtroom a lot of times but never where he was now, outside of the day in court for the divorce. Aaron barely paid attention as the Judge entered the room and they all rose. He wasn't paying attention as Roy's attorney called the witnesses for his claim on Jack. Aaron looked back into Roy's side of the courtroom and saw that there was most of the Brooks' family on that side. A few people were missing though that Aaron knew from Jessica's words were on Jessica and therefore Aaron's side. Aaron looked back at his side of the room and smiled at the team before he found Jack. Jack wasn't looking up at all. He was focused on something in his lap. The penguin though was in the lap of the man that was on the other side of him. Aaron was shocked when he looked up and saw that it was Spencer. Spencer was focused on whatever Jack had in his hands. Aaron looked at Jessica who was looking at him with only a little bit of anger in her eyes. 

The movement of his lawyer to stand up drew Aaron's gaze back to what was happening. Three hours of family witness's, a psychologist that was only talking about what her experience with kids was and not her experience with Jack as she had never met him, and Roy on the stand to malign Aaron's character then it was Aaron's turn to prove himself. Aaron was called first instead of last. 

"Do you prefer Agent Hotchner or Mr. Hotchner?" Aaron's lawyer asked.

"Since I am not working, Mr. Hotchner is fine."

"Good. Mr. Hotchner. What did you do as soon as you found out that a serial killer was targeting your ex-wife and child?"

"I got them into Witness Security."

"Even though technically as your ex-wife, she did not qualify for it."

"There was a little resistance, but given that my son was not able to go into hiding alone, someone would have to go with him. It was preferable to placing him in foster care."

"When did you find out that Haley was dead?"

"After the man who was after them was taken out by the fugitive recovery squad, and Jack was pulled from WitSec. I found out from my ex-sister-in-law, Jessica."

"She had been pulled into Witness Protection to live with Jack in place of Haley."

"That's what Jessica told me."

"What did you think when Jessica gave you files about Haley's illness."

"My first thought was about how I was going to get Jack through the loss of his mother when I wasn't around for the actual loss of her."

"And his disability. We've heard from a psychologist who thinks that being with you will hurt him worse and he'll never recover from his traumatic loss of voice in your care."

"Jack's in preschool at New Haven Academy and meets with the psychologist there on a thrice weekly basis. That's also where his American Sign Language teacher is based. His grasp of Sign Language is growing by leaps and bounds on a near daily basis. He's more outgoing in the months since he has been home. He misses his mother, but we talk about her all the time. Jessica lives with us in the house that Jack grew up in. She took over the basement and turned it into an apartment of sorts."

"What about your job?"

"I was on the fence for a long time. I was still out on medical leave when Jack and Jessica came home from the stabbing at the hands of the man that threatened Jack and Haley. I was offered a nicer retirement package than I would get if I retired at the usual age for the career track I am on at the FBI. Between it and the substantial trust and monies from my family, Jack would have wanted for nothing. However, my mind was made up for me about what I was going to do one night when Jack was sitting and playing in the living room. He was playing with some action figures that he had created. It was a kit that Jessica had bought for him when they were hiding. I found out that there was one that was me, and the rest were the criminals that I help to put away. I didn't understand all of his words but when I asked Jessica the next day she told me that Jack always said the same time that no one beats daddy. I talked to him about the fact that without Mommy around, I was thinking about quitting. Jack was upset with me. Jessica had already offered to step in and take care of him when I was on a case. I spent a few days thinking about it all and when Jessica and I talked we agreed that maybe for now I stay with the BAU and revisit if it seems like it's hurting Jack."

"And there is nothing so far that shows that?"

"Nothing in the way that Jack acts or in the way that he's acting at school. His psychologist's reports have been glowing, but I know that she'll be talking to the court later." Aaron looked where the staff from New Haven were in seats behind the BAU team. Jack wasn't seated between Spencer and Jessica anymore but was in fact in Spencer's lap. They were having a conversation of some sorts. Aaron smiled at them even though neither were looking at him. 

"Jack is sitting in the lap of a man right now, and they look to be talking."

"Yes." Aaron turned his eyes from Spencer and Jack towards his lawyer because Spencer didn't need to catch Aaron looking at him like that in the middle of court. "Yes. That's Doctor Spencer Reid, he is a newer member of my team. I was introduced to him the day after Jack was returned to my care. My team member and friend David Rossi introduced us."

"He knows Sign Language."

"Yes, I've never asked him what is wrong with his vocal cords, but he is mute. He has never had the ability to speak. Dave thought that he would be able to help me find a good place to send Jack to school, find a psychologist that could understand Jack and his issues with talking. Doctor Reid has also helped Jack and I when the communication barrier has hampered me understanding him."

"And Jessica can't help with that?"

"Jack's ASL education has blown past what Jessica and I know and when Jack is frustrated, he doesn't like to spell out every single word. He has my temper it seems."

"What do you think will be the effect on Jack if he is removed from your care?"

"I would rather be blunt than nice. I know the effects of trauma like this and being ripped from the only family that he has left. Roy has disowned his only child left. So that means that if Roy gets custody of Jack, he will lose her as well as me."

"Jessica won't make up to her father?"

"I don't know but Roy is the one who caused the break, and he is the one that started this."

"Roy has a suit in criminal court that blames you for the death of Haley. Haley died of a brain aneurysm. How were you supposed to have stopped that?"

"I don't know. The only conclusion that I can make from it is that I was supposed to catch what her regular doctor had not."

"Do you have a medical degree?"

"No." 

"We got a little sidetracked. You said you would rather be blunt about what would happen to Jack. Can you go back to that?"

"Being ripped from me, from Jessica, and New Haven, where I would continue to pay for even if Jack were not in my custody anymore but as Roy lives nearly an hour and a half from the school and transport back and forth would become an issue with DC traffic. I suspect that Jack would be put in regular school. Jack has not received an IQ test yet but his teachers and psychologist think that he will have a higher than average IQ, but until he has a grasp of either ASL or a spoken language, he can't take the test and have it be accurate. I have hunted more than my fair share of children who grew up in terrible circumstance."

"Your Honor, no matter his job focus, he can't testify that if Jack is removed from his care, he is going to become a killer." Roy's lawyer said as he jumped up. 

"That's not what I am saying." Aaron glared at the lawyer.

"I'll let Agent Hotchner continue for now," the Judge stared at Aaron until Aaron turned and looked at her. 

"Roy's own testimony was full of him bad mouthing me. I did not have my lawyer stop him because it ties well into what would become of Jack's life if he were placed with him. I have the documentation from the security at the Quantico Base where the FBI Academy is located, where I work out of from where Roy was thrown out. I also have a transcript of the audio recording. If he can put forth what kind of life Jack will have with me as his father. I can put forth what kind of life he would have under Roy's care. I will not state that I am the best father in the world, but I would do anything to make my son happy. I have never said a bad word about his mother in front of him. Even when we were in the middle of a divorce, and it was found out that she was cheating on me. I tell Jack about the fun times that she and I had in school. Dates that we went on. I have never said a bad word about Roy where Jack can hear. I heard first hand the fights between my mother and father, and I swore that I would never do that to my own children. The only time I have ever raised my voice in front of my child is when he's playing outside and doing something wrong. I yell to get his attention and then talk to where he can hear, telling him to stop what he is doing."

"Your honor, I am done with Mr. Hotchner, but I reserve the right to call him again after my other witnesses."

Aaron turned to look at Roy's lawyer who didn't want to cross-examine him. Aaron stood up from the stand and move to sit beside his lawyer again. Jessica was next, and Aaron felt pity for her when his lawyer brought up the day that she went to tell her father that Haley was dead. Roy's lawyer was having trouble keeping Roy silent and Aaron could see that the Judge was getting very upset.

Jack's turn on the stand was a surreal experience. Jack talked about what he and his mom did for the short time they were together in WitSec and then when Jessica came. He talked about how happy he was to go home to his Dad and how he loved his new school. The interpreter had problems sometimes keeping up with how fast Jack was speaking. When it was time to talk about what Jack thought about going to live with his grandfather instead of his father, the Judge allowed Aaron to take his Penguin to him when he was starting to get upset. 

"Your Honor, I have a final witness. I did not submit him as a prospective witness because I wasn't aware of his close relationship with Jack."

"Who?" The Judge asked.

"Doctor Spencer Reid."

"I already sent the interpreter away to help a witness."

"Doctor Reid has his own way of talking, Your Honor," Aaron said as he stood up enough to show deference to the Judge. 

"Do you, Doctor Reid?" The Judge asked, looking out at Spencer. 

Spencer stood up, and Aaron saw that he had his laptop out. " _Yes, Your Honor. I can speak for myself._ "

"Then I'll allow it. Please step up, Doctor Reid."

"Your Honor, I was not given a chance to vet this witness," Roy's lawyer said.

"I am using Doctor Reid as a character witness for Mr. Hotchner and as a non-child psychologist. Doctor Reid finished up his Ph.D. in psychology not too long ago."

"I am allowing the witness. He's more of an outsider than the rest of the character witnesses that have been called." 

Aaron made himself relax as Spencer carried his laptop up to the stand and sat down. He was sworn in and waited for Aaron's lawyer to talk to him.

"I did a rudimentary background on all agents on Agent Hotchner's team so that the other side couldn't bring up something that would look bad without me knowing it. Funny enough when I looked into you, I got really intrigued. I already had paperwork that talked around Jack's IQ with him not having the grasp of either language that he knows to be able to take a full IQ test. So here was a new agent to the team, a Genius with an IQ of one hundred and eighty-seven who was mute. A perfect role model for Jack. Showing him that what was wrong with him wasn't going to hurt him. I looked into you Doctor Reid and do you know what I found?"

" _I don't know what you found._ "

"Your father moved away from you and your mother when you were ten. Your parents never divorced and from all angles, it looked like your mother supported you well. However, the day you turned eighteen you committed your mother to Bennington Sanitarium."

Aaron gasped as did several people behind him. Spencer wasn't looking at anyone but the lawyer.

" _That wasn't a question, but I'll answer what you asked. Yes, I did commit my mother to Bennington Sanitarium on the day I turned eighteen. She should have been in there before that, but I weighed my own mental health over what the world thinks is best for a child like me. My mom wasn't that bad until I got closer to eighteen. I was already in college at that point, and a change would have derailed my education. I would have been forced to go to a hearing to place me with a family that wanted nothing to do with me or a court battle to get emancipation. None of my father's family stepped in and helped after my father left us because he couldn't deal with a wife who was Schizophrenic and a genius son who was mute. He never even thought about taking me with him. My mom's family helped as much as they could, but a lot of them were a long way away. I had an uncle who visited as much as he could. Neighbors made sure that mom was taken care of. My mom was a former professor at UNLV._ " 

"So you are proof that a child can grow up fine without a father."

" _Yes, however, I had a mother that gave me her all when she could. When she was lucid she was the best mother in the world. If had lost her as well as my father, I don't know what I would have become. I don't think that I would be where I am now._ "

"What was your first impression of Mr. Hotchner?"

" _When?_ "

"When Agent Rossi introduced you."

" _That he was a loving father. He was meeting a stranger so that he could better understand his son and to figure out what was best for him_."

"And in the weeks and months that have followed?"

" _He's held to that. Hotch has shown a love of his son that tells me that he would do anything for him. Every night on cases, Hotch takes the time to call his son to tell him goodnight. He has created a space in his office so that Jack can come in with him to the office._ "

"And psychologically, what is your opinion of what would happen to Jack if he was pulled from his father and aunt's home and placed with his grandfather?"

" _I am not a practicing psychologist. However, I can assume based on my own feelings of what would have happened if I had been taken from Mom. Jack is a smart child. I can see a lot of me in him. While I don't think that Jack is going to be exactly like me, but his IQ is up there. The amount of damage that I could have done to my own life and the lives of all of those around me is devastating. Jack's burdened even more with his loss of voice. I could see it never coming back if he were to be removed from his father because I think that only seeing that he is safe and whole will get his voice back, just like his psychologist said earlier. I could possibly have burned the world down around me if I had been taken from my mother. I would have destroyed every single chance that I would ever amount to anything to make those that hurt me hurt as well._ "

Aaron could tell that his lawyer was stunned silent. He moved around the table and sat down, staring at Spencer. Spencer though was looking down at his computer. 

"Cross?" the Judge asked. Roy's lawyer shook his head no. 

"Doctor Reid, you are free to stand down."

Spencer closed his computer and stepped down from the stand. Aaron stared at him the entire time that he walked back to where he had been sitting but he never once looked up. Jack crawled into his lap, holding the penguin up for Spencer to hug. Spencer hugged the penguin, smiling at Jack as he did before hugging the boy.

"If that is all of the witnesses. Did you wish to speak to Agent Hotchner again?" The Judge turned towards Roy’s Lawyer.

"N-no, Your Honor."

"I'll give my ruling after I go over all of the evidence again." 

Aaron stood up as the Judge did. They were released from staying in the room. Aaron made his way toward where he saw the team gathered around Jack and Jessica, keeping Roy from even seeing them. However, Spencer was not there.

"Where did Reid go?"

"He got a text from someone and took off making a few signs at Jack."

Jack wiggled free of Jessica's hold to where he could sign at his father. 

"Spencer had to talk to his bird friend."

"Bird friend?" Aaron asked, looking at Jessica but her face was a mask of confusion as well.

"Raven?" JJ asked. Jack's head bounced up and down.

"The woman who made his speech software," Aaron said to the rest of the team. Inside, Aaron was disappointed. He had been hoping to talk to Spencer for a few minutes. Aaron just had to wait for the ruling to come back. 

* * *

Jack was laughing to himself as he drew on the back of the paper placemat. The little boy had charmed the socks off of the waitress in the bistro that Aaron had taken him to for a late lunch after a morning and afternoon in court. Jessica had packed snacks for all of them, but it had only been that, a snack. 

Aaron had tried to get Jessica to join them for a late lunch and then a trip to the indoor play area at the mall. It was perfect for winter time. There were always kids around. Jack loved to play there as well as the park, but he preferred the park in warm weather. Aaron was glad of that. Too many kids never played outside. 

The bistro was empty, and Aaron had made sure it was okay for them to hang for a while. Their waitress Cindi had brought over a stack of the placemats and a box of seventy-two crayons for Jack to entertain himself with while Aaron just watched him and read his book a little bit. 

"Jack, I have a question," Aaron said when Jack finished up the second drawing and was reaching for a new placemat. Jack set his crayons down and looked at him. "I wanted to talk to you about me possibly bringing someone around."

Jack looked at Aaron with a weird look on his face. 

"Like Uncle Will. Dating." 

"I wouldn't mind if I liked her or him."

"That's good. I want you to know Jack that if you change your mind, if you don't like who I bring home, or you don't like me going out one night, you just have to tell me. I won't get upset. You are the most important person to me in the world."

"Aunt Jessica talked to me about this two months ago. She didn't want me upset."

"Your aunt is very astute."

"Are you going to date Spencer?"

Aaron looked at Jack, his jaw hanging open. 

"I was playing with Bobbi on the playground. Greg wouldn't stop teasing her and then he pulled on Bobbi's ponytail. Miss Heston put a stop to it and told Greg that you don't pick on girls to get their attention."

"No, you don't pick on girls to get attention. That's mean."

"But you were mean to Spencer."

"That was stupid of me. I took something out on him that I shouldn't have. He was an easy target for my rage instead of the person that I should have talked to instead. But if it was Spencer, what would you think about it?"

"Spencer is awesome. You look happy around him. You act happier around him."

Aaron leaned back and watched Jack take the blue crayon and start to draw a box. Aaron didn't comment on what Jack said so that he wouldn't ruin the mood. Aaron had a lot of thinking to do, and he needed to talk to Spencer, but first, he really had to show that he was sorry for how he acted. Aaron would start with some of the tea that Spencer liked in Aaron's house. A small peace offering to pave the way for the closeness that Aaron wanted.

* * *

Spencer set his last file into his outbox and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He had spent the morning lecturing at Alex's class at Georgetown, so he had spent the afternoon playing catch up on paperwork. It was Friday, and Spencer was looking forward to a weekend off of work. The last four weekends had been ruined by cases. Rubbing his eyes, Spencer stretched a little before going lax in his chair.

Someone walked up to Spencer's desk, not trying to be silent at all, so he was pretty sure that it wasn't Morgan who had started to tease Spencer in a very friendly manner that included scaring him at some points. Spencer didn't even open his eyes but instead reached out blindly and tapped a few keys on his keyboard.

" _Yes_?" 

"I saw you slip your last file into your pile and it's after five, so it's past time to knock off. I know you took the train in today. Dinner on me and I'll drop you off at home," Hotch said. 

Spencer opened his eyes and looked at the older man. Hotch said nothing as Spencer stared at him. The man has been going out of his way to make things up with Spencer after the way that he acted, he still hadn't given a full reason, but Spencer wasn't going to push that. However, Spencer wasn't going to get into a car with him and go out to dinner. He didn't really want to invite the man back to his place, but he wasn't going to go to Hotch's either. Spencer debated meeting Hotch somewhere but the last time they had eaten out together was still burned in Spencer's mind. He didn't ever want to feel like that again. 

"I don't feel like going out. I was just going to go home and watch a new version of Chicago that came out from a company on the West Coast. If you want to join me, you can."

Hotch stared at Spencer like it wasn't the response that he wanted. Spencer hadn't turned him down, but still, Spencer could see that he was disappointed. Spencer just wasn't sure why. 

"Sure, that's fine. Text me your address?"

"Do you need to pick up Jack?" Spencer wondered if that was why Hotch was upset. Maybe Jack had wanted to go out. 

"No, he's going with Jessica to see his cousins. After the end of the court battle over custody, the rest of the family is upset to learn what Roy tried to do. They didn't realize that he had disowned Jessica." Hotch stopped and looked around. He seemed to realize where they were. "We can talk about that later. Are you ready to go? I'm all packed up. I can wait for you in my car or here and we can walk out together."

If Spencer was reading Hotch right, the man was nervous. Spencer wasn't sure that he had ever seen the man nervous before. Spencer wondered what had him so nervous. Surely, it wasn't Spencer. Spencer looked at his desk. His bag had been packed since his last trip for coffee. Spencer eyed his coffee cup, full because he had worked through his files without even stopping to drink. He was technically ready to go, and there was no actual reason that he shouldn't go with Hotch in his car except for the fact that he didn't want to. Hotch was trying, so making a point of not riding in the car with him was going to make Spencer have to explain, and he really didn't want to. It was December which meant Christmas was getting closer. 

"I'll be ready soon." 

The smile that Hotch gave Spencer was near radiant. Spencer looked away quickly, grabbing his cup of coffee and moving towards the little kitchen to clean out his cup. He gulped the coffee down and started to wash out his cup. There was a strange smell in the area, nothing terrible just something that he hadn't smelled before. He stopped washing his mug when he saw the travel mug that he knew was Hotch's sitting on the sideboard beside the coffee pot. There was a new pot beside it, and Spencer saw that there was a note attached. It stated that it was to be used for water only signed Hotch.

"I've been drinking more tea and the pot here, there is no hope to get rid of the coffee taste from the basket. And I had hoped that you would join me in a cup every once and awhile. That's for you. It's a new tea that I got in. I meant to bring you the mug that Jack bought for you, but I forgot it in my car. Jack even washed it so that you could start to use it right off the bat."

Spencer smiled at Hotch as he stood there at the edge of the kitchen area, acting like he knew why Spencer wasn't being friendly. Spencer finished washing his mug and set it on the drying rack before picking up the tea. He took a deep inhalation of the drink before he took a careful sip. The spices in the tea burst over his tongue before calming down with what was sure was lemongrass. There was just enough sweet in it to calm the spices and a touch of milk.

"It's a variation of Chai called Thai Chai. Do you like it?" Hotch took a few steps into the kitchen area. Spencer took another sip of the tea and smiled as he did. Hotch smiled back at Spencer, and it was the same smile that he used to give Spencer, before that disastrous day. 

"Thank you, Hotch. I really do like it." Spencer spelled out with one hand. He didn't want to let go of the mug. 

"Ready to go?" Hotch asked. Spencer nodded, and the older man took off towards his office. Spencer watched him move realizing that there was a tension in Hotch's body that had been there for a while that was now gone. Spencer watched the man grab his things from his office and was still standing in the kitchen, sipping the tea when Hotch exited his office. Hotch smiled at him as Spencer started forward. The man rushed to Spencer's desk and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder with Hotch's briefcase before Spencer could grab it. Hotch smirked at Spencer before he moved towards the elevator. Spencer followed behind him, and when the man turned around in the elevator, Spencer stuck his tongue out at him. 

"My mom used to tell Sean and me that when we stuck our tongues out, one of those days she was going to grab it and not let go." 

Spencer waited for the man to say something else. He wasn't sure what the point of that was. But as he thought about it as the doors shut and the elevator started down, Spencer's mind went elsewhere, and it was thoughts he didn't need to have about his boss, especially not in an elevator with him. Spencer didn't look at Hotch but instead waited for the door to open. Hotch waved Spencer out of the elevator first. Spencer could feel the blush on his cheeks as he moved into the cooler night air. He saw that Hotch's car was parked in a spot close to the building. He remembered that the man had gone somewhere on his lunch break and so must have snagged a better spot. 

"Did you want to grab dinner on the way to your place or order out in a little while later?" Hotch asked as he unlocked the car and popped the trunk. Spencer watched him stick their bags into the trunk before he shut the lid and looked up at Spencer. The sun was starting to set behind the man, and it made him look near beautiful with it behind him. Spencer ducked his head and took a drink of his tea. He waited for Hotch to open his door and start to get in before he started to get into the car as well. 

Spencer braced the cup between his legs as he buckled his seatbelt. It felt weird to not have his bag with him. His work laptop stayed at the office on the weekends but throughout the week came home with him sometimes. 

"You didn't answer me," Hotch said as he started the car. 

"I'm fine ordering in later."Spencer left his tea in between his legs as he leaned back and started to watch the distance pass by. He looked around Hotch's car and saw the GPS unit. He leaned forward and started to punch in his address. In a show of friendship, Spencer saved the address as a favorite. He noticed the voice was already silenced, so he left that alone. 

"Good. Your cup is in the backseat on the floor behind me. It's in the purple bag. You can grab it if you want." Hotch risked a glance at Spencer, smiling as he did. 

Spencer looked into the backseat, finding the bag and grabbing it with his left hand. He pulled the bag up and into his lap. He picked the travel mug out and realized that it wasn't small like Hotch's. No, it was one of the bigger twenty-ounce cups. He tipped up the bottom to see that it was actually twenty-two ounces. He flipped it back down and looked at the design. It was metal but was a vacuum walled so that the outside didn't get hot. It was purple, but not all of it was. He realized that it was a purple curtain with black all around the upper and lower parts. Spencer found that odd, so he turned it around and saw the comedy and tragedy masks in the middle where the two parts of the curtain met. Spencer knew that he shouldn't have been shocked by the fact that Jack remembered that Spencer liked plays, but he was. They had only talked about it once because New Haven was going to see a play of the The Hobbit around the end of the year. Some of the lower grades the teachers were reading a chapter of it a week, sometimes more, so that the students would have been read the whole book before they go to see the play. The older grades were reading it on their own, and some were doing extensive projects on it. 

"He saw that and really wanted to get it for you. So I bought it, and we've been doing a layaway of sorts on it. We have even worked out a few extra chores so that he doesn't lose his whole allowance to it. We can still walk and get ice cream on the Sundays I am home, and he can pay for his small cone."

Spencer used the cup in his hands as a reason to not reply to Hotch. The image of the domestic side of Hoch with Jack popped into his head, and he was jealous. Spencer popped the top of the mug off and looked down inside. The little paper with the care instructions was still inside. Spencer knew that his feelings of jealousy were unfounded and he felt terrible for having them. He hadn't realized that he wanted kids until that moment. Which was a shock as Spencer hadn't ever thought about having a kid at all. He was sure that if he had found someone and the relationship had lasted longer than a few months, and they were getting serious, kids would have come up. 

"You were talking about that Ethiopian restaurant that was near you. How late are they open?"

Spencer dropped the lid back down on top of the mug before he slipped it into the bag, raising up two fingers.

"Two am? That's late isn't it?"

Spencer shrugged. The area that Spencer lived in had a lot of low rent but really lovely apartments, so it was a lot of college students who lived in the area. Everything was open late. Spencer looked out the passenger side window, wrapping his arm around his body and gripping the area where his soul mark was with his hand. He didn't know if he wanted to meet them or not. Spencer knew that just because someone was soulmates with someone else didn't mean that everything was roses. He'd seen relationships that were started too soon, and things crashed and burned, both sides hurt but years later finding each other again only to be happy. Spencer wondered about his own soulmate if they were out there wishing for him to come and be their white knight and whisk them away from whatever their life was. 

"You are quiet tonight," Hotch said as he stopped at a light. 

Spencer didn't know what to say to that because he didn't know how to go back to what they were before. He didn't know how to breach that gap that was made when Hotch had burnt the bridge. He could feel his phone in his pocket, not knowing if he should try and tell Hotch what he was feeling. 

"I know that I already apologized, in a text and in person, Spencer. And I know that I hurt you that day. If you are not ready for this. Not ready to be friends again after that I can understand. I'll drop you off at your apartment, and I'll go home. I don't want to push you too far too fast."

Spencer turned to look at Aaron, seeing that the man was looking forward at the road, even though they were stopped a light. He could turn and look if he wanted but he wasn't. Spencer could tell that he was scared. He was scared that he was right, that Spencer wasn't ready for a friendship again. Spencer pulled his phone out and opened up the speech app. 

" _It's not too fast. I am sorry I am hesitant._ "

"You said it that night when you didn't mean to tell me about your now ex-girlfriend. Everyone has an issue and you are left alone. I'm sorry that my own issues hurt my friendship with you and hurt you."

" _And I am sorry I've been acting like I have been._ "

"You were hurt, and you are allowed to feel those feelings. I hurt you, and you are allowed your feelings when someone hurts you. You don't have to justify it taking awhile to get over the pain that a friend gave you. Especially when they don't tell you what is wrong and I am sorry but what was wrong is personal and something that I am still dealing with. I do promise that I won't let it affect my friendship with you."

" _That's understandable. I'm going to hold you to that promise, Aaron._ " 

Aaron risked a quick smile at Spencer as he turned onto Spencer's block. It was nice and simple, everything with Spencer was and that scared Aaron. The guest parking beside the apartment was empty at the moment, so Aaron pulled right into the spot closest to the front door. Spencer heard the trunk pop, and he started to climb out. Aaron quickly slipped out of the car before Spencer and was moving to the trunk. Spencer got out as well and moved to meet him to take his bag from him. Spencer stopped when he saw that Aaron wasn't lifting out his satchel. But instead, there was another bag in there. 

"Two cases ago you lost that scarf that you were using on that case in Minnesota. You bought a replacement, and I know that you hate it. I think that JJ said something about you mentioning it was itchy. I saw this when I was taking Jack shopping for some new pants. He was starting to look like he was wearing highwaters. He's not getting big except in his legs right now. He's grown an inch." Aaron picked up the plastic bag and handed it over. "I've had that in my trunk since then. When the team went out to lunch two days ago, I almost stopped and grabbed it on the way back because you refused to wear the other one. But I didn't want you to not wear it just because I had given it to you before you truly started to forgive me." 

Spencer took the bag and opened it. The scarf inside was a slightly darker shade of purple than the one that he had lost, but it looked sinfully soft. It seemed handmade. Spencer lifted it out of the bag and found that it was even softer than it looked. He wrapped it around his neck and smiled at how warm his neck felt just after a few seconds. Aaron smiled at him, taking in his face and how Spencer rubbed the scarf on his face. 

"I'm glad you like it. I saw it on a rack at a shop. I guess a lady does a few of them for shops around the city on consignment. I bought myself one as well, a red one, and Jack one in green. He really likes his."

Spencer rubbed his face on his in answer as Aaron picked up Spencer's messenger bag from the trunk and shut it. Spencer watched him grab the strip of fabric that he clipped his keys onto so that he could find them in his bag easily. Aaron handed them over readily. Spencer realized that Aaron had all but kidnapped his bag. Spencer slipped his phone into his pocket and looked at the man. Aaron flashed him another of the winning grins of his and Spencer knew that he was screwed. He wasn't going to come out of the night without his heart stomped on. 

The trip up in the elevator was quick, and Spencer had his key in the door before he knew it. Spencer opened the door and saw Curiosity on the back of the couch. He was looking behind Spencer at Aaron. 

"This is Curiosity?" Aaron asked as he stepped in behind Spencer making sure to give Spencer room to shut off the alarm. Which he did easily. When Spencer turned around and saw Aaron petting Curiosity, he stopped what he was doing. Curiosity was even leaning up into the hand when it would start to lower down. Spencer was shocked as Curiosity didn't like anyone, ever. Aaron moved around the couch and sat down with Curiosity jumping off the back of the couch and running around to leap up into Aaron's lap. Aaron looked up at Spencer saying something that Spencer didn't catch because he was too shocked. 

"Spencer?" Aaron said another minute later.

"Can you repeat that?"

"I said, ready to watch Chicago?"

"It's on top of the DVD player if you want to get it loaded up while I change. I'm sick of being in work clothes." Spencer moved to his bedroom, shutting the door to get a few minutes of peace. He heard Aaron talking to Curiosity. Spencer couldn't hear what he was saying, and he really didn't want to. Spencer found the pair of jeans that he had worn earlier in the week to go get pizza out with Martin. The long sleeve T-shirt that he wanted to wear was pulled from the dresser. He wasn't ready for Aaron to see his mark and really the man didn't need to. Aaron didn't have a soulmate out there, and Spencer didn't want to rub it into the man's face.

Spencer exited the bedroom to see Aaron standing at the DVD player with Curiosity in his arms. It was a beautiful view, and Spencer knew that he really was fucked because this was not going to be good for his mind or his heart, but he had missed the man and hanging out with him and especially hanging out with him and Jack. 


	11. January 2010

Aaron loved coming home after a long day at work. He loved having Jack right there and so happy to see him, but he knew that the day would come when Jack wasn't going to be so happy to see him. Aaron cherished the days that Jack came running to him when he opened the door. Sadly, today was not one of those days. Jack was already in bed. Aaron hated that, but it was needed because he had been gone on cases for nearly two weeks. The team had been in Wyoming just after the new year started and had been there for a week. On the day that they were due to leave, the Jet broke down, and it would only take a day to fix, so the team opted to stay and not fly commercial. Since they were staying of their own volition, the FBI was not going to pay for their rooms, so JJ and Prentiss moved down to a single room and split the cost. Rossi paid for Morgan's room so that he could stay in his own room, after upgrading of course, and Aaron and Spencer moved to the same room. Aaron had been given a room with a double bed in it to start just because there were no other singles in the area that the rest of the team was in. 

Spencer hadn't minded sharing with him at all. Aaron knew that he didn't mind sharing with the younger man either. The team went out as a whole to get in the sights of the area with only Spencer complaining about the frigid Wyoming weather. He had brought the scarf that Aaron had bought for him, and Aaron was wearing his as well going for comfort in the cold weather and over a foot of snow on the ground than looking like an immaculate professional. Spencer had worn several layers of clothes with the top being some heavy purple sweater. His pants were a heavy pair of corduroy and Aaron had been a little upset and hoped that he would have gone for jean for warmth, like the rest of the team. 

Aaron remembered that after dinner and before they all headed back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep before heading home early in the morning, Morgan had talked them all into a walk to help digest their food. Spencer had been the only one to protest, but it had died down when Aaron had asked him to join them. The look on Spencer's face when Aaron had asked him to walk with him, not them, had been so hopeful for Aaron. It was the first time that he had seen anything in the man's eyes that wasn't just a simple fondness, it was so much more than that. It was almost a want. Aaron knew that it was probably just his own wishful thinking, but he couldn't shake it, even over a week later. 

The team had arrived at the park just in time. There were wooden forts all around the center of the park and a crowd of adults, teens, and kids who were being paired off. Morgan had jogged up to the seeming leader of the group and talked to him before he came back to the team.

"It's a snowball fight. I guess it happens regularly enough that the wooden forts are kept here year around. We are more than welcome to join. He even said that since we are the guests of honor, we get to pick where each of us goes."

Aaron had looked at the groups that were scattered everywhere. There was a group of kids that only had a single adult, and from the way that they all looked nervous, Aaron knew where he and Spencer were going. 

"Come on, Spencer," Aaron whispered in Spencer's ear before he took the man by the arm and led them over towards the kids. As it was realized that the two FBI agents were going to them, the kids started to look really happy. When Aaron stepped around the wall of the little fort and stuck his hand out for an introduction to the man inside the fort the kids started to jump up and down.

"Aaron Hotchner and this is Spencer Reid," Aaron said as he nodded his head towards Spencer. 

"Amy Batten. I'm thrilled to have you on our team." Up close Aaron realized that she wasn't so much an adult as an older teenager. "So we have twenty minutes to discuss strategy and to build snowballs. Ivan is our best builder. If you need to talk to him, you need to make sure he is looking at you and that you talk slow. He's deaf."

Spencer's face lit up, and he looked around at the kids, Aaron noticed the little boy who raised his hand up. He looked like he was afraid that they were going to say something mean about him. Spencer dropped to a crouch in front of the boy, and he took off his very thick gloves so that he could start to sign. 

"My name is Spencer, and this is Aaron. I am not deaf, but I am mute. I've very glad to meet you, Ivan."

Aaron made sure that he caught the boy's attention and he signed to the boy as well. He didn't have to take off his gloves as he wore leather ones and not puffy like Spencer. "We are delighted to meet you."

Ivan looked like it was the best day of the year and Aaron watched as Ivan and Spencer started to talk science given that Aaron didn't know all of the words.

"That's so awesome," Amy said. 

"Spencer is thrilled."

"We know enough to get him to understand that we need more snowballs, but it's hard. We have fun though, and that's why we are all here in this fort, we never expect to win, but we have a lot of fun while playing. Two weeks ago when we had the last one, Ivan actually participated more than just making snowballs for all of us, and he got one of the best in the bigger fort in the face with a snowball."

Aaron watched the kids as they made snowballs and talked about how they wanted to get the most of the other kids. Aaron could see why this group didn't have more adults, the rest were in it for the competition and not the fun. Spencer and Ivan were a little too talky with their hands for Aaron's liking, but when the action started, Spencer kept on making snowballs while helping direct Ivan who to hit. Aaron found out that getting hit with a snowball put you out. Prentiss was the first from the BAU team to be nixed, and Aaron was a little shocked that it wasn't Dave because the man was trying to get hit it seemed. After being hit, you could stay and help make snowballs but couldn't throw them. 

It didn't take long to realize that no one was really throwing at the fort that Spencer and Aaron were in and Aaron could tell that Spencer knew that. When the kids weren't throwing balls, they were looking at Spencer. Aaron realized that many of them understood a few words of sign and that Ivan could talk so sometimes Spencer would sign something and Ivan would tell the kids what he said. 

"I don't think that this is a good thing," Amy said after she was put out of the game. She crouched and started to make snowballs at Aaron's side, stalking him with them. Before Aaron could answer, the fort was rocked with a very hard hit from a snowball. Aaron looked out to see who had thrown it because if that had hit one of the kids, they could have been hurt. Spencer was looking through a window, his eyes narrowed. 

"COME ON, HOTCH!" Morgan yelled. Aaron realized that Morgan hadn't aimed for anything other than what he had hit and it was the only saving grace that the dark-skinned agent had. However, while Morgan was focused on Aaron, Spencer stood up and launched a snowball at Morgan. It caught the man right on his chest and exploded in a puff of white snow. However, the rest of Morgan's team was looking on in shock and the kids in Aaron's fort all launched an attack on the other fort. When the snow cleared, Morgan's entire fort was out. Aaron realized that Spencer was teaching the kids tactics. Aaron ducked down to miss any retaliation from the other forts, and when Spencer looked back at him, the grin of happiness on Spencer's face took Aaron's breath away. 

Aaron and Spencer's fort was not the winner of the fight but coming in third after usually being the first fort out was a victory for them. After it was over it was time for hot chocolate at the diner that was across the street. Aaron tried to pay for it for the kids, but he found out that it was already covered as the diner donated for the kids if the adults bought, so Aaron made sure to buy two for himself. Spencer and Ivan were huddled in a corner, and Aaron bought two more hot chocolates for Spencer because he was still shivering even after finding the warmest spot in the diner. 

That night when they finally got wound down enough to sleep, Aaron laid on his bed and watched Spencer sleep. Aaron remembered it took him a lot longer to fall asleep even though he was dead tired from a week-long case and then a day of being very active and then the snowball fight. But it was the sight of Spencer smiling in his sleep and lying on his side facing Aaron that was keeping him awake. 

The next day as they were boarding the jet, Applehorn called and had them diverted to where another team was already working however in looking for the bodies of the killer that they were hunting, a mass grave was found that was under fifty years old. The bodies in the grave were dumped there over the course of twenty years, and while it wasn't an active killer, the locals wanted help with it all and the BAU team already there was hunting the newer killer. Aaron hadn't minded taking it because the whole area was already freaked out with an active killer and the area didn't need a panic at another killer that had operated without them knowing it for what seemed like twenty years. The case was a lower level of activity it was digging and finding who the bodies were. There was no sense of urgency to it all. 

Days went by, and all bodies were identified, but it gave them a pattern that was enlightening. Two more mass graves were found while the other team hunted their killer. The killer that Aaron's team hunted had been killing for sixty years. Three total mass graves were found, and the last body had been killed fifteen years before. When the BAU was called in to go after the current killer, he decided that if he was going to go down, he was going to take his father with him. The father had been put into a nursing facility after shattering his spine in an accident. The worst of humanity, that it what they hunted and it was never more evident than it was at that point. 

Both teams had come home world-weary and ready for a few days off. Applehorn had granted both teams a five days weekend, and Aaron was planning on making the most of it with Jack. He was debating pulling Jack from school that Monday just to have another day with the boy. 

However before Aaron could leave the office, his lawyer called and wanted a meeting since he was back in town. Two hours spent at his office meant that Aaron hadn't been there to put Jack to bed. Aaron wasn't that upset because he had all day Friday with Jack as the school had a teacher thing that was going on, continuing education or something like that. 

"Aaron?" Jessica called out, pulling Aaron from his thoughts. 

Aaron looked up to see Jessica was dressed for bed and wearing an apron, he couldn't help but smile at her. 

"Hey, Jess. Sorry I got caught up in my head."

"You look like you are two seconds from passing out."

"Not sleepy, just tired."

"What did your lawyer want to go over?" Jessica asked. She looked back towards the kitchen before she stepped forward and grabbed Aaron's arm. She stripped him of his suit jacket before she pushed him towards the kitchen. Aaron sighed and remembered when Haley used to do things like that when he had been in the advanced stages of law school. Aaron saw that Jessica had set out his food. He knew that he had sat in his car for a few minutes, but he hadn't realized that it had been long enough for her to warm up his food and get it all ready for him. 

"The lawsuit suing me for Haley's death." Aaron grabbed his fork and dug into the casserole in front of him. He knew that it was one of Jack's favorite meals that did not involve macaroni and cheese. Jessica had found the recipe on the Internet and had modified it around to where it was more of a whole meal instead of the main dish, stuffing it full of vegetables to go with the meat, cheese, and potatoes. Tater Tot casserole it was called, and she had turned it into more of a very modified Shepard's pie. Aaron liked it because it was easy to fix and it could even be made up and frozen. He knew that it wasn't the one that had been in the freezer for when Jessica wasn't around, and Aaron had a late night and needed something quick for dinner as it had been made with mixed vegetables that included lima beans, this had none. It just had corn and carrots. 

"I know you are tired, and you don't mean to do long and drawn out dramatic pauses but dammit, Aaron. Talk."

"Sorry," Aaron said after he chewed the food in his mouth. "The case never made it past the Grand Jury, but he's not sure that they won't try again. He thinks that as it was presented to them that they felt uncomfortable with it because anyone could sue anyone for someone's death. Think about how many parents would be sued for a kid dying of cancer by other family members or even divorced parents suing the other for an accident. It was a can worms that no one wanted to open. After the debacle at the end of the custody case, the judge who reviewed the restraining order has made it a permanent one for all three of us, where we live, and where we work. I want to upgrade the alarm system in the house as soon as I can find a company that I like. This one was a good one when we bought the house, but I'm getting a little paranoid about it all."

"And you have every reason to be. I don't mind more security." 

Aaron nodded his understanding and started to eat again. Jessica let the silence fill the room for a while. 

"So why did it even get as far as it did?" Jessica asked.

"Because the lawyer saw dollar signs. He wanted to get his hands on my trust from mom and dad's death. Now Roy is out whatever he paid the lawyer for both cases, and I don't know if he even has the money to support that."

"The family is keeping an eye on him, and he sold his house and is living with his sister to pay for it. She was going to just leave him to it, but after mom's death and then Haley's she is feeling sorry for him. They are too close in mentality, and I am not letting Jack around her."

"You know that I don't care as long as he is safe."

"I know that you would rather just not deal with my family and I understand. I'm going to head to bed. Let you finish dinner. Just throw the dishes in the sink, and I'll do them after I eat in the morning." Jessica stood up from where she had sat down and pressed a kiss to Aaron's forehead before she moved to the steps to go down to her part of the house. 

When Aaron was done, he washed up his dishes because he wasn't going to leave them for her in the morning. That wasn't something that he did, and she knew it, but still, she tried. She did most of the cooking because she got home before him, but he did more of the cleaning inside the house. The gardens were beautiful, and Aaron hadn't touched them. Haley had loved gardening and Aaron hadn't had the guts to go out and do anything with them, but Jessica had Jack help her weed on the weekends. Aaron was glad to leave that to them. There were so many ghosts in the house, but with Jessica here they hurt less than if he thought they would with just him and Jack. He didn't know if he would have stayed in the house without her. 

Jack's bedroom door was open when Aaron forced himself up the steps, not stopping to even sit on the couch. He knew that if he did, he was going to go to sleep there. Jack was asleep on his stomach, his face turned towards the door. His night light was on, and Aaron could just make out his face in the shadows. 

Aaron stepped into the room carefully, making sure not to wake up his son. He crouched at Jack's bedside and brushed hair back from his forehead. He pressed a dry kiss to the skin there and leaned back, just watching Jack breathe. Aaron stayed there until his legs protested staying in that position for so long. When he straightened up, Aaron held in the groin. He hadn't slept in his bed for so long that he was sure that he was going to be just a sore the next day cause his body had adjusted to not sleeping on it. 

The light in Aaron's bedroom was on, and Aaron saw his clothes had been put up. Jessica had done all of his laundry from the cases. Aaron had dropped it all off that morning before heading back to the office. Everyone had taken an hour or two that morning to get fresh clothes that they hadn't been living in for two weeks. He hadn't meant for her to do his clothes. He knew that she did it because she cared and the rest was because he didn't charge her anything to live in the house. She took care of Jack, and that was payment enough, but slowly she was starting to force Aaron to let her help care for him as well. Aaron had only ever had Sean, and he had always protected him, Sean had never really protected or cared for him back. 

Aaron didn't feel like taking a shower, so he just stripped and tossed his clothes over the back of the chair in the corner. He grabbed a clean pair of underwear to sleep in. He didn't even feel like getting a T-shirt or a pair of sleep pants. Jack had crawled into bed with him in his underwear before so Aaron wasn't worried. He turned off the overhead light and moved to turn on his bedside lamp. Aaron flicked the switch on it and his eyes caught something leaning the lamp. He picked up the envelope. 

_I won these and won't use them. Maybe Spencer wants to go._

Aaron opened the envelope and saw that there two tickets to see Follies. Aaron had never seen the musical before. It was for the next night. It was a later production time. Aaron saw that it was a formal dress production and he frowned a little. He hadn't put on a tuxedo in a long time. He would have to make sure that it still fit. That added something to do with Jack in the morning. 

Flopping onto his bed, Aaron picked up his phone from where he had set it when pulling it from his pants. He scrolled through the texts and found where he had texted Spencer last. Most of the other texts were two groups based on who was out and about at the time of the cases. 

** I have tickets to a showing of Follies tomorrow. Jessica won them and won't use them. Did you want to go with me? **

Aaron laid his phone down on his chest as he shifted around the bed a little better to where he could lay comfortable for a while. He felt his phone vibrate and realized that it was still on vibrate. Aaron turned it up to where he would hear messages coming through, even when asleep. Picking up his phone Aaron looked at Spencer's messages. 

I've not seen Follies since it was in Los Angeles in 2002. I would love to go.

**Was it good?**

I really enjoyed it. I'll have to get my tuxedo out of my closet and air it out a little bit.

Aaron's mind stopped a little with the thought that Spencer had a tuxedo already. As he thought about it, he really wasn't shocked because Spencer enjoyed going to plays and musicals. Aaron wasn't sure that he needed to see Spencer in a tuxedo. It was a visual that he would take back home and he was sure that it would be a star in his dreams. He didn't know if this was a good idea. Aaron thought about it, and unlike everything else that they had done before, there was not going to be Jack with them. Going out to a musical was romantic. Aaron wondered if Spencer thought it was a date. Aaron wondered if he thought it was a date. 

I was upset that I hadn't got tickets to Follies yet so this is going to be perfect. There is a restaurant near that will guarantee we are out in time for the start of the musical. I can call and get us reservations if you like. Well, I'll have Raven get me a reservation.

Aaron smiled at his phone.

** Why don't I call? **

Aaron expected a text right back, but there was nothing. He frowned at his phone and looked at the time in the corner. Aaron pressed on the button to wake the screen when his phone finally vibrated again to tell him that Spencer had texted back, the chime came a second later. 

Reservations made. Raven does all of that for me for the places that I can't text to get a table.

**Do you have the cell phone numbers for hostesses for places that you like?**

Yes.

Does that make me weird?

**No, Spencer. I'm glad that they are willing to make allowances for you.**

Do you have a tuxedo?

**Yes, I do. I'll be digging it out in the morning to make sure that it still fits. It's been a few years since I was worn it.**

Aaron laid his phone on the pillow on the other side of the bed and got himself under the blankets. The phone vibrated while he was getting comfortable, so he ignored it until he was settled. His body ached, but his mind was more than willing to keep going. Maybe talking to Spencer would help him start to wind down. 

It's been a few years for me as well. I did try it on not too long ago because I thought I was going to a very upscale play but I ended up at a club with Andrea. I know that mine fits me perfectly still.

Aaron closed his eyes and groaned. He didn't need that at all. Even with his weariness, Aaron could feel his cock start to harden in his underwear. Aaron ignored it though. He tried to ignore his brain as well. Between the two, he was not going to be decent company around Spencer the next day, but Spencer was already so excited about it that Aaron would not back out at the last minute. He couldn't hurt Spencer like that. His friendship with the young man wouldn't last that disappointment. No matter what the younger man thought the night was, Aaron was going to make it a fun night.

** I'm actually more fit now than I was when I last wore the tuxedo. The slave driver that was my physical therapist last year got me back into better shape than I had been in years. I"ve thankfully been able to keep up with it all as well. **

That's good. Staying in shape is good. I run to help relieve stress. Martin got me into it not long after I started to work with him. Asdfkr f 

Aaron looked at the end of the message, and he laughed. He was getting ready to start typing when a message came through.

Curiosity was jealous of me being in bed and not paying attention to him. 

Aaron laughed even harder rolling onto his side so he could breathe easier. He could see Curiosity doing that. The cat had been jealous of Aaron even talking to Spencer if Aaron stopped petting him. Spencer had been put out, but Aaron could tell that he was happy that Curiosity had taken to someone. The next workday, Spencer had confided that Curiosity hated everyone except for Spencer and now Aaron.

I missed talking to you after that day.

Aaron could read the emotions in Spencer's tone. This was more than him just being talkative. Spencer was probably half asleep. 

** I missed talking to you, too, Spencer.  **

You are one of the only people that accept me for what I am. You don't try and fix me, my voice or my habits. 

** Spencer, I think it's time for you to go to bed. **

When there was no answer for several minutes, Aaron reached over and turned off his light. He grabbed the cord for his charger. He woke up his phone again. 

** Good night, Spencer. Sweet dreams. I hope you have a good morning and I'll see you at the restaurant in the evening.  **

Aaron plugged in his phone and pulled the blanket up a little farther. He closed his eyes and rolled over, laying his hand on the pillow opposite him. Aaron made the promise to himself that one day, he would tell Spencer how he felt about him but only once their friendship was more set, and it had a good, long foundation. 

* * *

Spencer splashed water on his face before looking at himself in the mirror. He had known from the first moment that he had met Aaron that the man was handsome. Seeing him in work suits didn't diminish that but seeing him in a tuxedo, with a huge smile on his face, it was damning to Spencer. Spencer had been slightly hard and aroused since Aaron had entered the restaurant. Spencer had been half asleep when Aaron had texted him the night before. The man had been good at showing Spencer that the horrible day had been a one-off and Spencer's heart was racing forward at lightning speed. 

The appetizers had been consumed, and now Spencer and Aaron were waiting on their main course. Aaron had taken a cab, and Spencer had ridden the bus, so Aaron saw that as a reason to get a bottle of wine to split. The sommelier had brought a sample for Aaron, and while Aaron had liked the wine, he had handed over the glass to Spencer for him to try. Spencer had been tempted to wave the drink off, but the smile on Aaron's face that went all the way up to his eyes softened Spencer up. He had taken a drink of the wine and found that it was one that he liked. Aaron ordered a bottle. 

Spencer remembered the look of what looked like hope on Aaron's face when the man had sat down at Spencer's table and had asked how Spencer planned to talk. Spencer had frowned but lifted up his phone. Spencer could barely hold in the gasp as Aaron laid his hand over Spencer's and asked him to just use his hands. Aaron hadn't let go of Spencer's hand until Spencer nodded and let go of his phone. 

"Are you okay?" A man asked from behind Spencer. 

Spencer turned around to see that the man was very old but dressed in a nice suit. Spencer nodded. 

"Are you sure because you look a little melancholy. I'll make your excuses to your date if you wish." 

Spencer said his hands to speak but stopped. He tried to smile, but it fell flat.

"It's okay to tell him your heart isn't in it," the old man signed. 

"That's not the problem. It's that my heart is too into it," Spencer signed back. 

"Well, I'm in a corner booth with my son and daughter. If you need me to make excuses for you, I will."

"Thank you, you are very kind, but I will be fine. I just need to get my heart under control before I go back out and the wine isn't helping."

"In Vino Veritas. I hope you have a good night, young man." The older man turned and left the bathroom. Spencer looked at his face before turning back to grab a towel and dry it off. He could do this. He wanted to do this. It was nice having a friend. It was nice having someone who would talk to him and not treat him like he was different. 

"Everything all right?" Aaron asked when Spencer sat back down at the table. The main courses had not been delivered yet. Aaron had refilled the wine glasses though. 

"Of course. The old man in the corner on the other side was talking to me. He saw me signing to you."

"And once you get talking..." Aaron trailed off with a smile. Spencer stuck his tongue out at him causing Aaron to laugh hard enough to draw a few eyes at them. Spencer didn't care. He reached out and grabbed his glass of wine and took a large sip.

"So what are you going to order for dessert?"

"Who says I am getting dessert? I'm trying to stay in shape."

"You were eyeing something on the menu very hard earlier, and when our waiter delivered dessert to the table three over, you couldn't take your eyes off of something."

"I was actually thinking of that turtle cake."

Spencer nodded but stopped when the image of the desserts on the menu came up in his head. The turtle cake was meant for two. The facts about sharing of germs and the sharing of food popped into Spencer's head. He was sure that Aaron wouldn't mind cutting the cake in half and the turtle cake did sound lovely. 

"But let's see how much dinner fills us up. We might not even want it. "

The waiter delivered their meals both of them getting the steak special. Spencer started to cut up his steak as soon as the waiter stepped away from the table. It allowed him to keep his hands free to talk if he cut up his food beforehand. Aaron said nothing as Spencer was cutting his steak. Aaron had got mashed potatoes while Spencer had chosen the mashed sweet potatoes. They had both gotten the seasonal veggies as their other side. A basket of bread was set down, and Aaron grabbed one and ripped it in half to put butter on it. Spencer watched Aaron prepare his food. 

Spencer had trained himself to watch how people ate and learned what it told him about people. It was a lot of the time the best way to get to know a co-worker. It rarely ever worked with dates as most people were on their best and did things to make themselves look better. Aaron though was sitting there an open book to Spencer. Even though the setting was a full spread of utensils, not everyone was going to use each one, and it all depended on what they ordered. Still, Spencer knew the use of all of them. Aaron had picked up several of his and set them aside right off the bat. He cut and prepared his food like he was under the watch of a very stern matron. It made Spencer wonder about his childhood. 

Aaron was obviously from old money, the way that he lived wasn't exactly extravagant, but he always bought sturdy things and didn't care about the price. Jack had clothes that were well made and pricey, but they lasted. Aaron didn't replace them though when they got a stain or a tear, but those became play clothes or clothes that Jack went out in when they were just doing simple things. Aaron's clothes were always impeccable, and while his suits were tailored, they were not the most expensive suits on the market. Aaron also had no issue having Jessica living with him and not paying rent of any kind. Jessica had told Spencer about it in passing one day when he had been over to help Jack while Aaron had been out with Rossi during the time after that horrible day.

"You are thinking too hard, Spencer," Aaron said drawing Spencer out of his thoughts. 

Spencer looked up at Aaron's face and saw that he was smiling. Spencer smiled back at him as he finished cutting up his steak. There was a cup on the plate that had a sauce of some kind. Spencer speared a small piece of steak and dipped it into the sauce. Aaron watched him as Spencer started to chew on the piece of steak. The sauce was light but not quite like an Au Jus for a Prime Rib. There were more spices but not enough to completely cover the taste of the steak. Spencer laid his fork down on the plate and raised his hands to start talking but stopped when he saw Aaron raising his own fork with a piece of steak drenched in sauce to his mouth. Spencer grabbed his glass of water to take a sip to cover what he was doing because the words dried up as he watched Aaron's lips close around the tines of the fork. His eyes closed in pleasure at the taste of the food. 

Ducking his head down, Spencer started to eat in earnest before he made a fool of himself. It was shaping up to a be an enjoyable evening out with his friend, and he needed that. He needed a good night out with anyone that wasn't Martin and grabbing a beer at a bar. 

"How are your potatoes?" Aaron asked forcing Spencer to look back up at him.

"I don't know. I've not tried them yet," Spencer signed with his fork pressed between his fingers. 

"Try mine." Aaron lifted up his fork with a small amount of his potatoes on it. Spencer reached out to take the fork, but Aaron just bypassed his hand and stretched the fork toward Spencer, making him have to lean up and take the bite instead of just taking the fork. This was one of those times that Spencer really wished that he could make a noise other than a gasp or pants. The ability to hum or make a pleased sound would make things like this go better. 

"Good."

"I really think so. Try yours so I can try a bite." Aaron nudged Spencer's hand that was laying on the table right next to where he had set his fork. Spencer picked up the forked and speared a small amount of the potatoes to have Aaron try. He didn't need to try his first before the man. Spencer started to raise up his hand, and his intentions had to be telegraphed on his face or something before Aaron caught his hand and turned it back towards his face. Spencer opened his mouth, but even when it was evident that Spencer was going to take the bite, Aaron didn't let go of Spencer's hand. He didn't let go until Spencer was pulling the fork out of his mouth. 

Spencer really tried to keep the blush off of his face but it was hard, and he really hoped that Aaron just thought it was from Aaron doing what he did. Spencer swallowed the food, barely tasting it before he speared some more and offered it over to Aaron. Aaron caught his hand and guided it up to his face. Spencer wasn't sure what to make of how Aaron was acting. He had never seen the man around his wife and had never seen him with anyone other than Jessica or Rossi in a personal situation. If it were anyone else, he would call it flirting, but this couldn't be that could it?

"I think that I should have got those instead. I wouldn't want anything for dessert." Aaron let go of Spencer's hand finally, allowing him to go back to eating on his own. Spencer looked back down at his food and didn't look up until he was mostly done. The highest his eyes went was up to his wine glass to make sure that he didn't knock it off. The first time he grabbed it, Spencer was afraid that he was going to give away that something was wrong with the shanking of his hands. It didn't happen though, Spencer's hand was steady. 

When Aaron refilled his wine glass, Spencer signed a quick thank you and Aaron hummed in acknowledgment. The noise of the restaurant was nice and didn't make Spencer feel like he had to talk. 

Aaron's finger under his chin, tilting his head up had Spencer near jumping in his seat. 

"I'm sorry. I said your name three times. Where were you inside of that expansive brain of yours?" 

"Thinking about the history of beef and how it's prepared and served around the world." Spencer knew the answers to give to make most people not ask any more questions. 

"Really? You research cooking?" The smile on Aaron's face was soft, and it showed an interest that Spencer was shocked about. "Sometime you'll have to tell me about it. I was just going to say that I can keep the conversation going right now since I know it's hard to talk with a fork in your hand. Or we can finish eating in silence."

Spencer waved for Aaron to start to talk. The smile on Aaron's face turned from soft to blinding, and Spencer knew that he had made the correct decision. 

"I know that I've not talked about my family much but that's mainly because of the Hotchner's, there is only me and my brother Sean, and now Jack. My father had no siblings, and his parents died before I was born. On my mother's side of the family, there is an extensive but very distant family. My grandparents didn't want Mom marrying Father, and I will have to say that in retrospect I think that she would have been better marrying anyone but my father. My father died of a heart attack when I was sixteen and mother cut me off from all family ties just after. Sean and I have never really got along. He lives in New York now, and my last two Christmas cards have been returned to me unopened. Jack has never met Sean other than when he was a baby. He knows that he has an Uncle Sean, but I've never lied to him about the fact that we don't get along. I think it's why I've felt so close to Jessica. Even before Haley and I married, I was jealous of the relationship that she had with Jessica. As time went on, Jessica started to act like that towards me as well. 

"After the divorce, I think that I missed my relationship with Jessica more than I missed Haley and it was hard to accept that. I couldn't see myself pushing her away after Haley died. She had given up her life to go into WitSec to protect Jack. While I wish it had been me, I don't know if it would have been a good thing."

"Why weren't you ever close with Sean?" Spencer asked, pausing in eating to set down his fork so he could talk with Aaron. He understood that this was Aaron trying to level the playing field a little since he was so tight-lipped with his life and Spencer's had been blasted to an open courtroom.

"I'll get to that in a moment. When my lawyer asked you what your first impression of me was, you made it seem like we had met before that day that Rossi introduced me."

"Not met so much but I had seen you on two instances before that day. You and Gideon came to Caltech and gave a recruitment speech and another at Georgetown a few years back. I was on campus when it started after a class I had been taking finished."

"I've given so many of those at both locations. Caltech was Gideon's favorite place to give the speech, but I like Georgetown and Yale. My Father wanted what he thought was best out of both Sean and me but he didn't go about it in the best way. Everything was a competition. When Sean went to kindergarten, I was placed in a boarding school. After Father died, Mother allowed me to go back to the local schools. That's when I met Haley. I hated my boarding school but Jack seems to adore New Haven, and it really is such a good school. I think that I was letting my past color me too much with that. Sean has never actually lived up to his potential, and he knows it, but instead of trying harder, he just gave up. I tried so hard after Father died to make sure that he knew that it didn't matter what he did as long as he was happy but he spent too much time partying, and it took a lot to even get him into college. He had talked about following Father's footsteps for a long time, and I tried to push him into it after he had talked about it, but still, he resents me."

"I've heard you mention your father had cancer but he died of a heart attack."

Aaron didn't answer at first. He actually looked away from where Spencer was for a few minutes before his lips curled into a grin that wasn't a good one. It wasn't sadistic, but there was something dark to it. It wasn't happy at all.

"I was home on a weekend because my mother had some affair that was happening at the house that she wanted the entire family there for. She had even got me out of school that Monday because of it. I can't even remember what the function was. I was trying to stay away from everyone. Especially my father. A friend of mine came over to hang out, and it was a good reason to tell my Father where he could shove it. The function was set for the next day, so the backyard was full of hired help cleaning up and getting everything perfect. I had been forced to get a haircut even though I had one the weekend before at the school. Sean was hamming it up and being the perfect son. My friend and I snuck up to my bedroom to get away from it all. I didn't know what Father was home or I never would have-" Aaron stopped and reached out to fill his wine glass with the last of the bottle of wine. The sommelier came over with a new bottle. Aaron drained his glass and refilled it, consuming it as well. 

"You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to."

"I've never told anyone this. Ever. Mother figured it out, and it was why she stopped having anything to do with me really. She blamed me for the death of Father."

"How could you have caused a heart attack?"

"Father came into my room while my friend was there. Poor Ashley never recovered, and I never saw Ashley again. Father caught us half-naked in bed, and it was what caused his heart attack, with his body being weakened by cancer and the stress of the day, I technically killed my father. It took me a long time to come to grips with it. I was forced by the school to get counseling, and while it wasn't that great, it did help. I never told the school shrink who I was in bed with, just used Ashley's name and never anything else. If she guessed, I don't know, but she never used a gender."

Spencer knew that Ashley was more used for a female but that it was a male name as well and Spencer was reasonably sure that Aaron had admitted that finding Aaron in bed with a male friend had caused his father to have a heart attack. 

"I don't know what to say to that."

"I don't either, and I've lived with it for most of my life. I came to terms with it. I didn't touch another man until college, and I had been on a very long relationship break with Haley. We didn't go to the same colleges while they were in the same state it still took its toll. Jake and I were good buddies and great stress relief, but there were never deep feelings. When Haley and I got back together, it was easy for him and me to go back to just friends." 

"Sounds like he was just what you needed." Spencer picked up his fork again and finished eating. Aaron finished off his as well. Spencer drank the wine a little more than he usually would have but he was afraid of Aaron working on finishing off the second bottle on his own. 

"I think that we need dessert and we still have plenty time before the curtain call. So do you feel like sharing with me?" The smile on Aaron's face as he talked wasn't quite as bright as it had been so Spencer nodded his agreement hoping that the chocolate would help to lift Aaron's spirits. 

The cake when it arrived was huge and a dark almost black brown. It was made with dark chocolate instead of the regular milk chocolate. Spencer's mouth started to salivate as soon as he saw it set down between them. Two forks were on the plate, one on either side. Aaron picked his up first and speared a bite, but he didn't raise it up to his mouth. He held it out for Spencer, so Spencer picked up his fork and did the same thing. Spencer closed his eyes as the deep taste of the dark chocolate with just enough sweet from the caramel inside the cake and the pecan topping. The noise that Aaron made was near obscene for being in public, and Spencer was happy that he could not make that kind of sounds because he was sure that he would do it a lot considering how much he loved food. 

"I think that sometimes I'm going to pay that price for taking a whole cake of this home and freeze smaller pieces to have when I need a pick me up. That's almost better than mood lifter drugs."

Spencer started to laugh, his body shaking at the words that Aaron said. Aaron smiled at him, showing his appreciation for the fact that Spencer was laughing in front of him. 

Dinner was finished with Spencer overeating cake because Aaron kept forcing him to eat a bite off of his fork. The rest of the wine was finished off, and Spencer was glad that he and Aaron would be around other people soon because he wasn't sure that he wouldn't do something stupid. The waiter dropped off their checks, never even asking if they were paying half each. Spencer looked at the price of the cake, half on his and half on Aaron's and agreed that it was worth the price paid for it. Spencer actually had the cash for it on him and was shocked to see that Aaron was paying cash as well. A healthy tip on Spencer's side for the waiter never making Spencer feel stupid as he pointed at the menu to order. 

"Ready?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer nodded as he slipped his wallet back into the inside pocket of his jacket. He had entirely too much cash on hand to want to risk a pickpocket getting him. Standing, Spencer buttoned his jacket as he watched Aaron do the same thing. 

"Then let's go and see ourselves a play." Aaron waited for Spencer to step even with him before he stepped away from the table. Spencer almost stopped walking when he felt Aaron's hand settle on the small of his back. Even through several layers, Spencer thought that he could feel the warmth of his skin. The hostess at the front opened the door for them leading out, and the valet opened the outside door when they neared it. No second glances from either one of them happened, despite Spencer feeling like the entire world had to be looking at them. The theatre was only a block away, but each step felt like a mile. 

Spencer forced himself to keep pace with Aaron even though he wanted to step ahead or behind the man. Aaron produced the tickets as they neared the box. His other hand never strayed from Spencer's back. There was just enough time to find their seats before curtain rise and therefore no time to stop and talk to anyone. They were directed to their seats which were on a balcony. They were alone in it. 

"I've never seen Follies, you'll have to tell me if this is a good production," Aaron said as he leaned close to Spencer. Spencer leaned into him. Silence descended as the play started. 

Intermission came too quick for Spencer's liking. He didn't want to leave the balcony and go back to the rest of the world. 

"Do you need to use the restroom?"

Spencer shook his head. Aaron smiled.

"Good because neither do I." Aaron turned in his seat to face Spencer more than he had been before. "You've never told me your favorite play."

Spencer shrugged. He really didn't have a favorite, everything depended on his mood. The stage was dark, but Spencer wanted to people watch. He stood up and moved to the edge of the balcony. There were others that were staying in their seats, not making a mad dash to the bathroom or the bar. Spencer gasped as Aaron's hand settled onto his arm, his fingers curling over skin to press into the words written there. 

"What has you so melancholy, Spencer?" Aaron asked his voice a whisper in Spencer's ear. He closed the distance between them, pressing his chest to Spencer's back. 

Spencer shook his head. 

"Then I'm going to do my best to lift it." Aaron pressed even closer. Spencer could feel his short breaths on his ear even more. "Just remember it's been a long time for me."

There were so many things that Spencer could think of that for Aaron it had been a long time. With their bodies pressed so close together, all he could think about was sex. It had been a much shorter time for Spencer since sex but fuck if his brain didn't go to sex with Aaron. 

"Words! Words! Words!" Aaron said, his voice still just as low as it had been, but Spencer knew those words. He knew what they came before. "I'm so sick of words! I get words all day through; first from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do? Don't talk of stars burning above; if you're in love, show me! Tell me no dreams filled with desire. If you're on fire, show me!"

Spencer was struck still. Aaron's hand didn't move from his arm, and his lips stayed right there at his ear. Spencer's grip on the bar in front of him tightened. 

"Did I get it right?" Aaron sounded so hopeful that Spencer could only nod. Aaron made a cheerful sound and wrapped his arms around Spencer's chest, hugging him tightly. Aaron relaxed the hug but didn't let go of Spencer. Spencer raised his hands up and laid them on Aaron's arm. If he wasn't going to let go, neither was Spencer. Even when the intermission ended and the play started again, they stood like that. 

Spencer barely paid attention to the play after that. He stood there with Aaron's arms around him. Spencer knew that Aaron had only said words to Show Me to try and make Spencer happy. Still, it was damning because it had done what Spencer had tried to stop happening for so long. It wasn't just feelings he had for the older man anymore. It was love. 

It was love, and Spencer was alone in that feeling. 


	12. February 2010

Aaron watched as Spencer and Jack conversed with their hands while sitting on the couch. Jack was curled in Spencer's lap, and it looked good. They both seemed very happy, and Aaron's heart fluttered when Jack grabbed Spencer and hugged him. The hesitation from Jack wrapping his arms around Spencer to Spencer wrapping his arms back around Jack to return the hug was shorter than it had ever been. 

Meeting Jack, and by extension Aaron, had been just as rewarding for Spencer as it had been for Jack. Spencer had gained confidence in dealing with children that he had never had before. 

Spencer pulled out of the hug and looked down the couch at Aaron. Aaron still hadn't figured out what that emotion was on Spencer's face when the younger man looked at him. It was one that Aaron had never seen on his face before that night at the play a month before. Aaron knew that standing with his arms wrapped around Spencer for the last half of the play had been a bad idea but for Aaron just being close to another human was worth it. Aaron hadn't realized how much he missed just having anyone but Jack that he was allowed to touch. 

Jessica had been teaching Jack how to help her cook dinner so when Jack had wanted to showcase his talent at cooking he had wanted both his father and Spencer there. So Aaron had invited him a few days before, case willing of course but when Saturday morning dawned, and there was no case it had been a breath of relief for Aaron. 

" _Jack's ready for bed_ ," Spencer said, his eyes sparkling as he tried not to laugh at Aaron. His phone was propped on the arm of the couch where it had been all night, used only when Aaron wasn't looking at him. Aaron picked up the pillow that was on the cushion beside him and threw it at Spencer's head. Spencer caught the pillow and stuck his tongue out at Aaron. Jack slipped off of Spencer's lap, taking the pillow from Spencer and throwing it back at his father with a smile on his face. 

"That's it," Aaron declared as he scooted off the couch. Jack took off running for the steps. Aaron caught him halfway there, scooping Jack up and tossing him over his shoulder. Aaron felt Jack brace a hand on his lower back, holding his little body up as much as he could. 

" _Goodnight, Jack_ ," Spencer called out as Aaron and Jack disappeared from view. 

Aaron pulled on Jack's legs, pulling him off of his shoulder and holding him in his arms. Jack was smiling, and he looked really happy. He looked like he used to, before everything. There was no darkness, no shadows in his eyes anymore. The nightmares were few and far between, and according to his teachers and psychologist at New Haven, he was excelling there. 

Jack was already dressed in bed clothes, that was the deal on them watching a movie after dinner. Jack had tried to bargain for Aaron and Spencer dressing in their bed clothes though. Spencer's argument that he didn't want to drive home in his sleep clothes had won him the right to not change out of his clothes and Aaron had only glared at Jack to make sure that the boy knew that he wasn't going to change. Jack had relented after glaring back at Aaron for five minutes. Spencer had sat down on the couch during the glaring standoff and had barely held in a laugh. When Aaron had looked away from Jack after the boy had given up, Spencer had buried his face in a pillow with his entire body shaking. 

"Is Spencer going to be here when I wake up?" Jack asked.

"I don't think so. Spencer has his own life. It doesn't revolve around you or me."

Jack pouted, but when Aaron set him down on the bed, he crawled under the covers with no problem. 

"Why can't he just move in with us like Jessica did?"

Aaron reached up and brushed the hair off of Jack's forehead. 

"I know that you miss him when he's away Jack but Spencer has his own life. He has a place to live and an apartment."

"But I love him."

Aaron covered Jack up, taking the blankets up to his chin as he tried to figure out a way to answer that without breaking Jack's heart. 

"We don't always get to live with those we love. Remember when you stayed here with Mommy, and I lived in my apartment. I'll talk to Spencer though about maybe having him come over on a more regular basis. Would you like that?"

Jack nodded before he yawned. Aaron reached over and grabbed the book that he was reading to Jack.

"No book tonight," Jack said as he yawned again. He closed his eyes and grabbed his teddy bear. Wrapping his arms around the bear and rolling to his side, Jack snuggled down into the bed with his back to his father. 

Aaron leaned over and kissed Jack's forehead. Jack smiled as his body started to relax into sleep. Aaron hadn't thought that he would last long, but it felt weird to not read to him. Aaron stood up and switched the light from the overhead light to Jack's nightlight. 

Spencer was still seated on the couch with his glass of wine in his hand. He was sipping it and looked like he was deep in thought. Aaron just stood on the bottom step and stared at Spencer. He looked comfortable sitting there on Aaron's couch. 

"Thought about the movie you want to watch?" Aaron asked as he finally made himself known to Spencer. Spencer didn't jump but just glanced up at Aaron a smile on his face. Aaron had a feeling that Spencer knew that he had been staring. 

"Anna and the King", Spencer signed after he set down his wine glass. The DVD was already sitting out from Aaron's shelves of movies. 

"Anna and the King vs. James Bond...I don't know." 

"You and your spy movies. It's a wonder that you didn't go into that profession instead of law school. Or even after, when you jumped from prosecutors office to the FBI. The BAU does not give a lot for playing a part."

"Don't I though? Tough assed boss."

"That's only after a few years. Though Rossi did tell me that you had the nickname Hardass Hotch from your Academy days." Spencer was smiling as Aaron moved toward the DVD player and slipped the DVD that Spencer had set out into it. Aaron grabbed the remote from where he had set it after unloading the Pixar movie they had watched with Jack. Aaron grabbed his glass of wine as he sat down on the couch. Aaron didn't sit where he had been sitting but where Jack had been sitting, on the middle cushion. Spencer didn't say anything or react at all, his eyes were on the screen. Aaron grabbed the wine bottle and split what was left between their glasses. There was another bottle of the wine in the fridge, ready for them to drink but Aaron wasn't sure if he wanted to crack it open. The bottles were not large, Jessica had bought them for them to share after dinner. There were a few bottles in the pantry and Aaron had been a little worried about the amount, but Jessica had told him that they were on a good sale and she didn't want to have to go back and buy more each week. So there was a cabinet that made it look like they had a problem with drinking. 

"I did get that name in the Academy. I'd already been through law school and all of the drama of it. I was a stickler for the rules."

"Don't tell me it's so." Spencer laughed at Aaron, his body shaking being the only thing that told Aaron that he was laughing because he was hiding his face in his knees. Spencer was smiling when he finally brought his face out of it's hiding spot. He picked up his wine glass from where he had perch it between his feet to hold it in place so he could talk. There wasn't a lot left even after Aaron split what was left between the two glasses. Aaron drained his and set the glass down on the coffee table in front of them. He grabbed the empty bottle and stood up to grab another. He popped the cork in the kitchen and got rid of it and the wrapper before moving back to the living room.

Spencer was slightly sprawled out, his feet on the coffee table. His empty glass was on the table right beside Aaron's. Aaron sat down and grabbed both glasses to fill up before he handed Spencer his and took a drink of his own. Aaron was worried about setting the bottle on the table. He debated which end table to set it on and decided on Spencer's. Hitting the play button on the remote with the pinky finger, Aaron leaned over Spencer's body to set the bottle there. Spencer was drinking more than him so having it in Spencer's reach just made sense. 

Aaron heard the intake of breath that Spencer made as he leaned over the younger man. Aaron looked up into Spencer's face, and he realized that Spencer was a lot closer than Aaron thought that he was. Desire. That was the look in Spencer's eyes. A desire for Aaron. Aaron released the bottle before leaning in even closer to Spencer. Spencer's eyes dropped from Aaron's eyes to his lips just as Spencer licked his lips. Aaron groaned and closed his eyes as he closed the last remaining distance between their mouths. Aaron pressed his lips to Spencer's feeling the wetness from where the younger man had just licked his lips. 

It was a simple press of lips, but to Aaron, it was more than that. Spencer wasn't trying to get away, he wasn't trying to shove Aaron away from him. Aaron pulled back, locking his eyes with Spencer as he opened them. Spencer's eyes were wide with shock but he wasn't doing anything, good or bad and Aaron was a little worried. Aaron grabbed Spencer's wine glass and set it down, only looking away from Spencer long enough to set it down without spilling it or just outright dropping it. When he looked back at Spencer, Spencer looked determined. 

"Spencer," Aaron said, trying to start a conversation. 

Spencer had other ideas and cupped the sides of Aaron's face and drew him back into a kiss. Aaron allowed Spencer to do that as he shifted a little on the couch and braced an arm right at Spencer's hip. When he was settled, Aaron parted his lips and swiped his tongue over Spencer's lips. There was no noise from Spencer, but he did part his lips and allowed Aaron to push his tongue inside. 

At the first touch of tongue to tongue, Aaron moaned. Spencer shivered but didn't pull out, so Aaron kept on pressing inside. Spencer sucked his tongue inside just a little bit more before he darted his tongue out and licked the roof of Aaron's mouth. Aaron pressed his hand into Spencer's side. There was no hesitation on Spencer's part. He touched Aaron's stomach. His fingers pulled on Aaron's shirt, trying to pull him closer. However, Aaron wasn't sitting the best. 

Aaron leaned back and opened his mouth. Spencer let go of where he was still cupping Aaron's cheek with one hand and covered Aaron's mouth. Spencer shook his head, so Aaron closed his mouth, pressing a kiss to Spencer's palm. Aaron lifted up and braced his hand on the back of the couch and pulled Spencer around to where he was lying lengthways down the couch. Aaron didn't straddle both of his legs but instead just straddled a single leg. Spencer used his hand on Aaron's shirt to pull Aaron back down to him. There was no hesitation when Aaron pressed his lips back to Spencer's. He knew that they needed to talk, but he would acquiesce to what Spencer wanted and hold off on it. 

It had been years since Aaron had made out on a couch and a lot longer than he had made out with another man on the couch. Spencer was a great kisser, following Aaron's lead for a while before taking the dominant role in the kiss. It wasn't long before they were both hard in their pants, but Aaron ignored his own erection. Spencer didn't seem to care about his own either. Spencer's hand trailed down Aaron's shoulder, down his side and settled on his hip, pulling Aaron closer. 

Aaron broke their lips apart and kissed down the side of Spencer's jaw before he nipped at his ear. Spencer laid there panting, his hand gripping Aaron's hip hard. Aaron pulled back to look down at Spencer, to see his eyes. Spencer's eyes were dark. Aaron braced himself on a single arm and reached up to brush his thumb up Spencer's cheekbone. Spencer's cheeks started to blush under Aaron's staring, but he didn't look away. 

"Don't hide from me, Spencer," Aaron whispered.

Never, Spencer mouthed. 

Aaron relaxed his arm and ducked down to kiss Spencer again. Aaron was thankful that he had bought a large couch, it had been back when he slept on it after hard cases and coming home in the middle of the night, but it was big enough for both of them to settle on. Aaron slipped his arm underneath Spencer's neck and wrapped his hand around his arm, holding him right where Aaron wanted him. Spencer gasped and inhaled sharply as Aaron's fingers gripped his upper arm. Aaron was worried for a few seconds that he had hurt him, but Spencer's grip on his hip held Aaron in place, so he didn't move away. 

Time was lost as the two of them kissed on the couch. Aaron didn't want it to end, but he knew that at some point Spencer needed to go home and Aaron needed to go to bed. He was sure that all of his dreams were going to center around the man underneath of him. 

Spencer wrenched his mouth away from Aaron's, gasping for a breath before he pressed a kiss to the front of Aaron's chin. Lower and lower he went, scooting down the couch before settling in on holding Aaron's shirt away from the base of his neck to kiss and suck a hickey there. Spencer grabbed Aaron's hips with both hands and pulled down on him, pulling Aaron to where they were face to face again. 

"I know you don't want to talk right now, but we will have to talk before you leave because I am not letting you leave without talking to me about this."

Spencer nodded, his head rolling to the side and looking for his wine glass. Aaron grabbed it and leaned up to where Spencer could push himself up to take a drink. Spencer had a coy look on his face as Aaron tipped the glass down to where he could take a drink. Spencer drained the glass, his Adam's apple bobbing and making Aaron want to chase it with his lips. When the glass was empty, Aaron set it aside and ducked down to press on Spencer's Adam's apple with his tongue before dipping down into the hollow of his throat. Spencer's hands moved, one to the back of Aaron's head to hold him in place as Aaron set about marking him. The other landed on Aaron's ass cheek, gripping it hard before starting to knead the flesh there.

Aaron felt drunk, and it wasn't from the wine. He knew that they should stop, but he didn't want to. He wanted to keep hearing Spencer panting and gasping, each sound going right to Aaron's groin and making him even harder. Aaron shifted from collarbone to the juncture of neck and shoulder, wanting to leave a mark there as well. Spencer's hand didn't press into Aaron's skull but instead moved downward, pressing between his shoulder blades. Aaron stopped moving, thinking, stopped everything for a few seconds as he took in that it was where his worst scar was. He didn't stop Spencer though. Spencer stayed above his shirt, never once going for the skin. The hand on his ass started to coax him into thrusting into Spencer's leg, pressing his hard cock into firm flesh. 

It was too much and not enough at the same time. Aaron felt like he was going to die as he wrapped his arm back underneath Spencer and grabbed his arm. Spencer made a sound that Aaron had never heard from him before. It was more than a gasp, more than a pant, and if there had been actual sound to it, Aaron would have sworn it was a moan. He wanted to hear it again. 

Aaron licked up to where Spencer's ear was, taking the soft flesh there just under the lobe into his mouth, nipping. Spencer tipped his head to the side to allow Aaron more access as he made the sound again. That sound shouldn't be erotic as it was. It was something that Aaron was hearing, and he wanted to believe that he was the only one to get it from Spencer, he would never ask because as long as he believed it, it could be the truth. Focused on Spencer's breathing and the enticing sounds that he was making. 

Spencer's breathing went shallow, and Spencer's entire body went taut. Aaron slowed the kisses he was laying on Spencer's neck until he felt hands shoving at him. Spencer was near frantic in pushing at him. Aaron moved back, getting to his knees and looking down at Spencer, worried that he had done something wrong. 

Aaron looked down at Spencer, scared because Spencer looked scared.

* * *

Spencer had never felt so much from simply making out on a couch. Spencer wanted to blame the wine that Aaron had been plying him with. He knew though that it had only been a matter of time before it happened. The feel of Aaron on top of him, his hand pressed to the soulmark on Spencer's arm, the feel of their tongues sliding against each other was something that Spencer never wanted to forget. He would take what he could get for the time that he could get it. 

After the play, Spencer had tried to wrap his head around why Aaron had stood with him like the entire second half of Follies, but there was nothing other than the miss of touch. Spencer had gone through all of their interactions, at work and outside of work. Aaron touched him a lot, more than he touched anyone else, even Jessica. Mistaking it for anything other than sexual attraction was hard. 

Spencer felt Aaron's body shiver whenever he elicited a sound of any kind from Spencer. There was even the sound that Spencer hated making because it usually made his partners freak out. It was as close to a moan as he could get and it sounded horrific, but Aaron seemed to love it. 

There was a sound at the edge of Spencer's consciousness, and he made his brain focus on it enough to where he could figure out what it was. Then the sound of the creak of the top step filtered into Spencer's brain. Spencer's entire body stilled with Aaron pressing kisses down his neck before Spencer started to freak out a little bit. They had not had their discussion about what they were doing much less what Aaron wanted Jack to know. 

Spencer started to shove at Aaron to push him up so that when Jack came down the stairs, he would not see them in a sexual positìon without a discussion first. Spencer didn't want to hurt Jack. He didn't want the boy to get excited if this was all they were ever going to do. Spencer was sure that how scared he felt was going to be read all over his face and when he looked at Aaron's face he could tell that he did look scared cause Aaron was looking down at him scared as well. Spencer couldn't get his hands to move as Aaron sat on his knees on the couch. 

Shoving himself up into a sitting position, Spencer looked over the back of the couch just as Jack, clutching a blanket and a stuffed penguin came into view. Aaron looked over and saw Jack there, getting off the couch to walk over and pick Jack up. Spencer tucked his legs into his chest and wrapped his arms around them, watching Aaron murmur to Jack. Spencer knew that he should probably head out. He watched the father and son for a few seconds before he grabbed his wine glass and drained it. 

Spencer grabbed Aaron's wine glass and the new bottle and walked into the kitchen. He found a wine stopper in a drawer and before he could second guess what he was doing, he drained Aaron's wine as well. Spencer started the water to wash out the glasses, using it cover how fast he was breathing. Spencer had known what Aaron was going to do before the man had even pressed his lips to Spencer's the first time. He should have turned his head and laughed it off as a slightly inebriated pass by a man who was lonely. It would have been better for their friendship and working relationship in the long run. 

Every other time that Spencer had allowed someone to pursue him, he had been lonely. He knew that he jumped into bed to quick with every other person he dated. A lifetime of being alone had made him craved touch, and Spencer satisfied it with sex. He did not want that with Aaron, but the downside was that for once he wasn't touch starved. Aaron touched him and filled that need, and before now there had never been a sexual side to it from the man. 

When the glasses were clean Spencer rinsed them and set them in the drainer at the side of the sink. He dried his hands and just stared out the window of the kitchen. Jack had to have got up because of a nightmare. They didn't need Spencer there. Spencer turned, but before he could take a step, he felt hands wrapping around his thighs. He looked down to see Jack burying his head in Spencer's hip. Spencer looked up to see that Aaron was there in the doorway.

"According to Jack, it's a monster that only two Federal agents can keep away." Aaron was smiling. The smile was full and fond, and it didn't diminish when Aaron looked at him. 

"I can stay the night and sleep on the couch to make sure the monster doesn't get in the front door."

Jack shook his head against Spencer's clothes after he watched Spencer sign. 

"Then what?" Aaron asked. Jack turned to look at his father before he grabbed Spencer's hand, pulling on him until he could get his father's hand in his other hand. They didn't stop moving until they were in front of the couch. Jack let go of Spencer's hand to push his father down onto the couch, in the middle. Spencer was next, pushing down to where he was tucked into the corner. Jack frowned and waved for his father to scoot down. Aaron moved a little bit, and when Jack frowned, he moved a little more. Jack held out his hand for his father to stop. 

Jack turned his head to look at Spencer, and the frown deepened. He looked at Spencer and Aaron several times before Jack reached out with his hand and traced Aaron's lips. 

"Why are your lips puffy?" Jack asked. 

Aaron looked away from Jack to look at Spencer, but Spencer didn't turn to look at him. Instead, he just faced Jack and kept a small eye on Aaron through the corner of his eye. Spencer's gut churned because he had no clue what Aaron was going to answer. Jack had the worst timing in the world. 

"When two people like each other, they show each other how much by kissing." 

Spencer nearly started laughing at the look that Jack was giving Aaron. Spencer knew that teenage years were going to be slightly horrid with Aaron's own looks turned on him. 

"And sometimes when the kissing lasts a long time, lips get a little swollen."

There was a slightly astonished look on Jack's face for a few seconds. He looked from Aaron to Spencer to Aaron and back to Spencer before he shrugged and crawled up Spencer's lap. He signed something, but Spencer couldn't read his hands. Spencer looked up at Aaron for the man to tell him. 

"Jack wants to lay on you and for you to lay your legs over mine." 

Spencer shifted the way that Jack wanted him to and scooted down the couch to where his ass was pressed to Aaron's thigh, the only way that Spencer was going to be able to lay down and be comfortable on the couch. Aaron scooted down enough to where Spencer's legs were comfortable. As soon as Spencer was settled, Jack stretched out with his head resting on Spencer's heart. Spencer raised up his right arm and wrapped it around the boy to help make sure that he didn't fall down. He could feel Aaron's eyes on him, but he didn't look up. This was all too much too fast. 

A blanket was spread over the three of them, and it was like a switch was flipped, Jack's eyes closed and he was breathing even and deep. 

"Hey," Aaron whispered forcing Spencer to finally look up at him. "He'll be deep enough to where you can slip out from under him in about ten minutes. I can lay down, and he can sleep on me."

"Do you want me to leave?" Spencer asked after he worked his left hand out from under the blankets. 

"Do I want you to? No. Will I be upset if you want to? No. I would be sad if you left all together but I can understand not wanting to have a crick in your neck from sleeping with a child on you all night. You can go as far as the guest room on the second floor or your apartment. This is...a lot."

Spencer didn't answer at first. Instead, he just looked down at Jack's sleeping face. Jack wanted him there, and Spencer found it hard to disappoint the boy if he could not do it. Or his father really. Spencer looked back up at Aaron before he reached out his hand. Aaron reached his out and let Spencer grab it. Spencer kissed the palm of Aaron's hand before he pressed it to his cheek. Aaron smiled and nodded. 

"I think that I am going to shift around a little and lay at an angle. I'm too old for sleeping sitting up." Aaron moved some, and it only disrupted Spencer and Jack a little before he was laying almost the same way that Spencer was with his legs stretched out onto the coffee table. 

Spencer knew that he would be sore for all of the next morning, but this was worth it.

* * *

Spencer felt cold, and he couldn't figure out why. He was just on the edge of waking up all the way but didn't want to, not even to find out why he was cold. The smell of coffee was drifting around the room, but still, Spencer didn't want to move at all. 

Something warm pressed to his forehead making Spencer crinkle his nose. 

"Adorable," a voice said, and it took a few seconds for Spencer's half awake brain to realize it was Aaron. Whatever had pressed to Spencer's forehead pressed to his cheek next. Spencer crinkled his nose again and swatted at whatever it was. His hand was caught, and this time when the thing pressed to his skin, it was to his lips, and he realized that it was lips. 

"I'm not adorable," Spencer said with a frown on his face when Aaron pulled his lips back. Hot breath ghosted over Spencer's lips, and he could hear Aaron chuckling. 

"Jack and I agree that you are when you are trying to fight waking up," Aaron said. 

Spencer was about to answer when he realized that Jack hadn't really left him just sat up on Spencer's hips. Jack was shaking with silent laughter, making Spencer have to open his eyes to see the boy. Jack was grinning. Spencer grinned back before he pulled his legs up, giving Jack a rest for his back but not before he tipped the boy forward. Jack caught himself at the last second before his head connected with Spencer's chest. 

"I have coffee ready for you but first a shower. It did me wonders and will help your back not feel like it slept on a couch all night with a monkey on top of you." Aaron was crouched on the floor at Spencer's side. He didn't look like he was going to move anytime soon. Spencer turned his head to look at the man thoroughly. Aaron had a huge smile on his face, and as soon as Spencer locked eyes with him, Aaron leaned over and pressed a full kiss to his lips. Jack bounced on Spencer's stomach a little, showing his happiness. 

"That did not take as long as I thought it would," Jessica said from somewhere in the living room. 

Spencer resisted the urge to push Aaron away again. He remembered the look on Aaron's face when he had done it the night before and didn't want to see that look again. Aaron pulled back when he was ready and pressed the last kiss to Spencer's forehead before he sat all the way up and stood. Jessica was behind him with a bag in her hand. Spencer watched as Jack jumped off of him and took off for her. Aaron held out his hand and helped Spencer up off the couch.

Jack's fingers were moving as fast as he could move them as he told Jessica all about their night, including puffy lips. 

"I see," Jessica said when Jack finally paused. She looked up at the other two adults in the room with a smile on her face. She set the bag down on the floor before she moved across the room to give Spencer a hug. She leaned in to whisper in Spencer's ear. "You make him happy, and he deserves happiness."

Spencer pressed a kiss to her cheek before he was tugged back away from Jessica and into Aaron's arms. 

"He's mine, not yours," Aaron said with a laugh. Jessica stuck her tongue out at Aaron before she turned back to grab the bag that she had brought inside with her. She walked across the living room and headed into the kitchen to head downstairs into her part of the house. 

Spencer didn't fight out of Aaron's hold as Jack followed his aunt into the basement and Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's shoulders, hugging him from behind. 

"I have some clothes from my brother here that should fit you. So you aren't wearing dirty clothes. Afterwards, we can stop by your place, and you can take care of Curiosity before we head out to breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Spencer asked, holding up his hands so that Aaron could see them.

"Well, Jessica told me that dinner is pretty much out of the question unless we make a dinner here or at a diner or other low-end place."

_Why?_ Spencer turned around in Aaron's arms, looking up at the man with a questioning look on his face. Aaron didn't answer though, he looked towards the kitchen before grinning and back Spencer up until Spencer felt a wall at his back. Aaron took his lips in a kiss that was a lot more desperate than any of the ones that he had given Spencer the night before. Spencer was breathing hard when it ended almost a minute later. 

"Today is the fourteenth."

Spencer nodded. Yesterday had been the thirteenth, so it was a fact that the day after the fourteenth. Aaron chuckled a little before shaking his head. 

"Spencer its February fourteenth." 

Spencer crinkled his nose in confusion. He knew what the date was, but it wasn't until Aaron started to really laugh that Spencer connected the date with the day. Spencer hadn't been in a relationship on Valentine's Day in years. It was another day for him. 

"So I thought that dinner out would be a little much given how new this all is but dinner and a movie here with Jack sounds like a good plan. Especially since we have work tomorrow." 

Spencer nodded his agreement. Dinner and a movie with Jack sounded like a perfect thing for them. No person needed a first date to be the one on Valentine's Day. 

"Good. Now go shower. I'll bring your cup of coffee up into the bathroom after you get inside. I'll start getting Jack wrangled for getting dressed then we can head out." Aaron ducked down and kissed Spencer again. Aaron let go of Spencer to turn away, but Spencer grabbed his arm. Aaron looked back at him with a questioning look on his face. 

"What are we?"

"Friends who are seeing how much more we can sounds good to me. Does it you?"

Spencer nodded. Aaron headed into the kitchen with a smile on his face, and Spencer walked towards the stairs to head up and get that shower. His back was stiff from sleeping like he had the night before but he wouldn't give it up for the world. Spencer found the bathroom in the hall but stopped because there were only things for Jack in there. Kids shampoo and kids body wash. 

"USE MY BATHROOM!" Aaron yelled up the stairs like he had just read Spencer's mind. Spencer left Jack's bathroom and meandered toward Aaron's. He found Aaron's bedroom just as neat and orderly as his office, his clothes from the night before not visible at all, presumably in the hamper and not thrown in front of or beside like Spencer did half of the time when he was in a rush. Spencer tried not to profile the room at all but instead forced himself into the bathroom. 

Spencer shut the door but remembered Aaron's words about bringing him coffee, and he would have to bring Spencer clothes, so Spencer didn't lock it. He turned on the water in the shower before he started to strip. Spencer slipped into the shower as quick as he could. Just as he got himself soaked he realized that he didn't grab a rag or anything to use to wash himself. He turned around in the shower to see if there was anything and there was a purple loofah and Spencer was written on the tag. Spencer smiled at Aaron's thoughtful gesture. Spencer found Aaron's shampoo and body wash in the corner. 

"Spencer, knock once for no and twice for yes. Is it okay to come in?"

Spencer knocked on the wall twice. 

"Okay. So Jack and Jessica are both getting dressed for breakfast out. Jack invited her, and she tried to not come, but I figure that more is merrier in this instance, however, if you don't want her to come, she won't be upset. Yes or no to her coming?" Aaron sounded a lot closer, so Spencer figured that he was in the bathroom. The curtain rustled and Spencer turned around to see that Aaron had stuck his hand inside with a cup of coffee in it. Spencer took the cup and drained it before setting it back in Aaron's hand. 

"There are a lot of things that we need to talk about and right now, for me, there is something that I really need to tell you, and I would rather do it with you in the shower and unable to look at me." 

Spencer wondered at what he wanted to talk about as Spencer started to wash his hair. He wasn't going to be able to use conditioner as Aaron didn't have any in the shower but that was okay. 

"That day that I was an asshole. There were two main reasons that I was an asshole and as I told you that it was all on me. You hadn't done a thing to deserve how I treated you. I went out drinking, and there I started talking to a man. He was intelligent, he understood me, and it wasn't until after I went back to his place and we had sex that I realized why I had left with him. He reminded me of you. He smiled like you did and he moved like you and his cheekbones were exactly the same. I got walloped with the clue bus about what I thought about you and hadn't even realized before then, and then there you were. I mishandled it and believe me as soon as I was alone with Jessica she read me the riot act. I handled it like an only child who had been told that he had to do something he didn't want to do. I was in the wrong, and you handled it like a champ. If someone had acted like that towards me who had done all that you had done for Jack and for me, I would probably hit them." 

Spencer had never thought that Aaron's problem with him that day would be anything like what he had just admitted. Spencer had washed his body while Aaron had talked and there was not much else that he could do in the shower. He shut the water off and waited. 

"I left the clothes on the counter, and I'll be downstairs when you are ready. I have another cup for you on the counter as well."

Spencer knocked on the wall twice, and he heard the door close behind Aaron as he left the bathroom. Spencer smelled like Aaron, and he didn't want to miss that smell. Spencer stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel to start drying himself off. He didn't put his glasses on until he was dressed. The clothes were not his usual style at all, and Spencer didn't like them. Spencer opened the bathroom door as he picked up the socks that Aaron had laid out for him. One was black and the other a plaid green, Aaron at least was cognizant of the fact that Spencer didn't wear matching socks. Spencer grabbed the coffee and drained it before he stepped out. 

"Oh, you dressed quicker than I thought you would." Aaron was standing at his dresser after slipping something into his pocket. "Yeah, we need to stop at your place. I don't like you looking like my brother." 

Spencer nodded his agreement. He would rather get dressed in his own clothes and not wear these ever again. 

"Maybe you can pack a bag with some changes of clothes for here. I can put it the guest room. I don't want to pressure you, but Jack's going to be pretty insistent about you spending more time here. He's very happy with us being us, and I know that we need to talk about us. And we will when we are alone again." Aaron held out his hand, wiggling his fingers. Spencer stepped up to him and took his hand, following Aaron out of the room. They did have a lot to talk about, but it could wait until they had food and more coffee in them.


	13. February 2010

There was a marked difference between something that some would call a date but that neither of them had actually called it that and an actual date. Aaron was nervous as he parked his car in the ten-minute parking lane outside of Spencer's apartment building. Aaron shut off his car and grabbed his phone from the cup holder before he got out. A lady was leaving the building as Aaron was stepping up to it. He wasn't shocked when she pulled the door shut behind her so that he couldn't catch it and slip inside. 

"Ma'am," Aaron said. The woman just stared at him as she passed and said nothing. Aaron just smiled to himself as he pressed the button for Spencer's apartment. Spencer had not given Aaron the code to get inside, even though he knew that certain delivery places had the code. Aaron wondered if Spencer didn't want surprised or if he just hadn't thought about it. There was a crackle of sound and then a meow from Curiosity over the speaker. It shut off. Aaron leaned in close. "Spencer, it's me."

The door clanked as it unlocked and Aaron grabbed it to open the door before the magnetic lock reengaged. Aaron slipped his keys into his pocket as he opened the door to the steps. They were just going out to eat, but Aaron didn't know where they were going, so he hoped that his jeans weren't something that was going to get them thrown out. Aaron had changed his outfit seven times before Jack and Jessica had raided his closet and picked his clothes for him, not allowing him to change at all before he left. Jessica had told him that if he stayed at Spencer's, it was okay and if he and Spencer wanted to come back to Aaron's it was okay with her as well. She would be more than happy to keep Jack entertained the next morning. Aaron wasn't sure if her being hopeful of Aaron not coming home was a good thing or not. 

Aaron opened the door that led to Spencer's floor. He walked toward Spencer's door and was shocked when as he raised his hand up to knock, Spencer opened the door. Spencer smiled at Aaron and waved him into the apartment. 

"How do you get Curiosity to meow at the speaker?"

"He hates the sound the intercom makes. I forgot to tell you about that. Everyone texts when they get to the door. He always meows at the intercom." Spencer moved back toward where the kitchen table was. Aaron saw that he was packing up his messenger back. Aaron remembered that Dave had spilled coffee on Spencer's bag. Dave had tried to talk Spencer into letting him buy him a new one while they were on the case but Spencer had just checked over the items in the bag before drying it and living with the stain. He must have just finished washing and drying it. 

Curiosity jumped onto the back of the couch and meowed at Aaron for attention. Aaron stepped over and picked him up. 

"Jack wants Curiosity to come over for a playdate." 

Spencer started to laugh and shook his head as he picked up his tablet and slide it into his bag. Aaron picked up Curiosity and walked to where Spencer was finishing packing his bag. Aaron was about to ask him why he was taking his tablet when he saw Spencer's phone and wallet stacked on the counter beside the coffee pot where there was a half drunk pot. 

"Curiosity would not do good going out in his career on the subway or the train."

"Why couldn't you drive?" Aaron asked. He stepped up to the coffee pot and grabbed the wallet and phone there. Aaron watched as Spencer froze a little, his eyes locked onto Aaron's hand where it was wrapped around Spencer's phone. Aaron realized that in that instant, he had never seen anyone touch Spencer's phone. Spencer always had his phone in hand or in his pocket on a case. Even at Aaron's Spencer's phone was always near his hand. Spencer watched Aaron as he set down the phone and wallet on the table beside Spencer. 

"I'd be too freaked out. Curiosity whined the entire trip home from the shelter where I got him. I don't think that I could take that." Spencer relaxed as he realized that Aaron wasn't doing anything more than moving his wallet and phone closer. 

"How do you take him to the vet?" Aaron shifted Curiosity around to where the cat could rub his face all over Aaron's. Aaron knew that he was scent marking Aaron, reasserting a claim on him after so long away. Aaron focused on the cat as Spencer finished whatever ritual he was doing with his bag. Aaron tried not to act like he was watching Spencer as he put each thing into its pocket before moving onto the next. 

"His vet is a block away. I walk him. On a leash." Spencer finished up with the bag and started towards the door. Aaron debated whether the other man was ready to leave and if he should follow when he saw Spencer hanging up the bag on the coat rack right beside the laptop case. Aaron looked and saw that the phone and wallet were still sitting on the table. He relaxed and started to pet Curiosity. Aaron had been early but being early with Spencer didn't seem to matter. 

"I bet that many love to watch you walk your cat. So where are we going?" Aaron set Curiosity down on a kitchen chair. The cat jumped down from there and took off toward a cat tree in the corner. It hadn't been in Spencer's apartment the last time that he had been there. Aaron watched as Curiosity climbed up to the top level of the tree. There was plenty of evidence that the bottom level was the one that Curiosity used as a scratching post. 

"Do you want to walk or drive?"

"If the place is in walking distance we can walk."

"I have two places in mind. One is within walking distance, and the other isn't. If you want to walk, we can do that." Spencer grabbed his wallet and slid his phone into his pocket. He looked nervous. Aaron stepped up to him and tilted his chin up. Aaron brushed his lips against Spencer's very carefully. Spencer smiled at him. 

"Don't be nervous with me." Aaron cupped Spencer's cheeks to draw him into a kiss. Spencer placed his hands on Aaron's chest, not pushing, just touching. When Aaron broke the kiss, Spencer stepped back, so he had room to sign.

"I am not nervous about you, per se. I was more relaxed the day of the play because it wasn't a date, or we didn't go into it with the idea that it was. I think it ended up closer to that by the time that he left. Dates change things."

"And making out on a couch before sleeping on there together doesn't change things?"

Spencer shrugged. Aaron just shook his head and pressed a kiss to Spencer's cheek. 

"No alcohol with dinner," Spencer signed as he moved to his bag and grabbed the keys that were hanging on the outside. He turned to Aaron and held his hand out. "I picked where I want to go for dinner, so we are walking."

Aaron stepped up to him and allowed Spencer to take his hand. Spencer shivered as their hands connected and Aaron remembered Spencer talking about not trusting people enough to shake hands or extend his hand in any fashion. Aaron lifted the hand up and kissed the back of it. Aaron took the meaning of what Spencer was doing. Aaron reached out with his other hand and took Spencer's other hand into his. He raised it up and kissed the palm of it before using his hold on both hands to pull him close so he could kiss him again. 

"I'm ready for whatever you want, Spencer. I'm in your very capable hands."

Aaron moved his car into the resident parking area right beside Spencer's car before they headed out. The restaurant that they walked to was very close. Spencer tucked himself into Aaron's side, Aaron's arm around him the entire walk there. Aaron saw the place for what it was, a little family-owned restaurant that was usually only visited by locals. No one drove across town to eat there but the business was good, and everyone knew each other. The lady who ran the register kissed both of Spencer's cheeks before she pushed him into a seat. Spencer was blushing by the time that Aaron got him to lift his head up. 

"I am assuming you eat here a lot?"

"I do. I eat here at least once a week. If I go longer, she worries. Then again she worries about the mail carrier for the area. She makes him drink water when he comes in to drop off her mail. She runs the place with her brother and children. She tells me that I need more meat on my bones."

Spencer leaned back as a waitress set down a glass of water with a small bowl of lime wedges in front of Spencer and a glass of tea in front of Aaron. Aaron looked up at the waitress and realized that he did know her. 

"Alana, how are you doing?"

"Perfectly fine, Mr. Hotchner. Still, like tea with dinner?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Spencer was looking at Aaron with a weird look on his face. It wasn't jealousy, and it was more than curiosity. 

"Alana lived on the street that I live on since she was born. She moved out of her parent's house while I was at the apartment. I heard that she's at Georgetown from her parents. Her father and I golfed together for a long time before he had to stop golfing because of a back injury. I'm glad she's doing well." 

"You react differently to people that you know that you feel...parental or familial to. It's different than how you act around Jack but close to how you act around Jessica. I was trying to figure out how you knew her. I sometimes forget that you had a long life at the house before the divorce. I've never gonna know my neighbors like that."

"That's normal for a city like DC especially for an agent who worked as much as you did before getting into the BAU. Now you'll be lucky to realize that you have new neighbors when they rotate in and out." 

Spencer laughed, not trying to hide the shaking of his shoulder or the silence of it. There was nothing better than the look on Spencer's face when he was laughing, Aaron decided. The rest of dinner passed much the same way. They already knew a lot about each other and knew each other well, so it wasn't strange and awkward for them. Spencer didn't touch his phone to use it to speak to Aaron, and if there were a word that Aaron didn't know that Spencer used, he would write it out on the pad that Alana had brought so that Spencer could give her his order. It was one of the order pads, and it just stayed on the table. 

Dessert was packaged up for them because they both ate too much dinner to want it right then. Aaron carried it because Spencer needed his hands to talk. Aaron spent the walk back to Spencer's thinking about if he wanted to stay the night or not. Spencer had admitted that he jumped into bed with his other relationships too quick but really was this too quick for them? There was a nice alcove of a store that was closed that Spencer pressed Aaron into an alcove just a short distance from the entry to his apartment building. 

Aaron couldn't help his hands wandering up and under Spencer's shirt after untucking it from his pants. Aaron pulled Spencer close with his other hand and allowed his other hand to spread out. Spencer gasped and muffled that gasp by covering Aaron's mouth with his own. Aaron could hear people passing them, and Spencer was in plain sight more than Aaron since Aaron was mostly covered by Spencer's body. It was something though that Aaron probably never would have done before. 

Spencer pushed into him harder, pressing their bodies together. Aaron could feel his hard cock pressing into his hip. Aaron groaned and thrust his own cock into Spencer's hip. Spencer made the sound that was as close to a moan as he could get and pulled away from Aaron. His eyes were dark with arousal. 

"We need to stop if you don't want to go further Spencer." Aaron did not want to push Spencer further than he was willing to go. Spencer pressed his lips to Aaron's again, aligning their bodies. Kissing Spencer was addictive. He didn't want to stop kissing him. 

Come up, Spencer mouthed at Aaron after he finally pulled out of his kiss. 

"I bought a bag, to be prepared. If you want to head up, I'll join you after grabbing it."

"The code to get up is the first seven digits of Pi. Each resident has a code, and each delivery person who has access has their own code."

"That's some security."

"Eight FBI agents live in the building and at our last count, five CIA. If we trust our own instincts."

"And the others?"

"We think a few NSA and possibly a British SIS agent who is on a sabbatical from work. We all hold a don't ask, don't tell policy as everyone who is vetted to live here does so based on Interpol's okay."

"On whose okay?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer spelled out the word Interpol. 

"I'm actually a little shocked that there is a word for that. I think that I need to brush up on the words that you had printed out for me for working situations. I only got through the D's before I stopped."

"Can we not talk about that?"

"Sure. Why don't we go do what I talked about? You head up, and I'll get my bag. I'll call Jessica. She was already prepared to watch Jack all night. I'll talk to Jack now and tell him goodnight. He knows that I am on a date with you, so me staying the night won't be a big deal. You've stayed at our place. Me staying at your won't raise any flags."

Spencer nodded and stepped back to allow Aaron to push off the wall. Aaron took Spencer's hand and pulled him along until they separated at the door, Spencer heading in and Aaron going around to the parking. Aaron pulled his phone from his pocket and found it blinking with a message. It was from Jessica stating that Jack had fallen asleep early and that she would have him call Aaron in the morning if he wasn't home. She told him to have a good night and please do not call. Aaron frowned at not being able to at least tell Jack good night, but he understood what Jessica was asking. Jack was a bear to get back to sleep once he had been woken up. 

Jessica wanted an easy night, and Aaron couldn't blame her. She was probably watching a sappy romance in the living room while drinking wine. Aaron would make sure that she had a night like that soon, without Jack. Aaron wondered if Spencer would allow a weekend getaway for the three of them. Either to New York or even home to Spencer's Vegas. 

Aaron took the stairs up after he let himself into the apartment building. He had learned the first fifteen digits of Pi not long after meeting Spencer. He had done it on a dare of sorts during a drinking night with Dave. It had stuck with him. Spencer's front door wasn't open, but it was unlocked, and Spencer was still in view of the door when Aaron entered. Spencer looked up at him, and while their ardor had cooled, Aaron could see that he wasn't second-guessing what they were about to do. 

"I feed Curiosity and have already plugged in my phone. I found the spare chargers I have, and you can charge both of your phones. I don't know if they need to be charged."

"Come here," Aaron said as he dropped his bag onto the floor. He toed off his shoes and set them beside Spencer's. Curiosity was watching Aaron from his perch on his tree. Spencer stepped up to him. "It's you and me and doing what feels good. You don't have to be nervous, and you don't have to hold yourself back. I want to see you. I want to see you enjoying what we do. So why don't you take down the apartment for the night and when you are ready, join me in the bedroom? I promise I'll stay out of your drawers. I would prefer to not have a cat interrupt us during sex but if Curiosity has to be allowed in that will be fine."

Aaron cupped Spencer's cheeks, holding him like he was precious. He made Spencer look up at him and smiled when he did. 

"If all you want to do is cuddle in bed and revisit this in the morning, that's fine, but I will not be sleeping on this couch. It looks like death warmed over for my back."

Spencer nodded leaning into Aaron's hold and pressing their lips together for a quick, chaste kiss. Aaron let go of him and stepped around Spencer to grab his bag and head toward the bathroom. Thankfully, being used to living out of a go bag, Aaron had everything that he needed in it. It wasn't hard to pull out his bathroom kit and set it inside the bathroom door before he dug around for a pair of sleep pants, in case he needed them. He wasn't sure how Spencer would want to sleep. 

Aaron listened to Spencer moving around. He heard the beeps of the alarm and the sound of the fridge door opening telling Aaron that the genius was putting up their desserts. Aaron thought about how good of a breakfast they would make. Or a late night snack. Aaron unbuttoned his dress shirt and laid it on the back of the chair he dropped his bag onto. He did not strip more than that though. After plugging in both of his phones, Aaron sat down on the bed and waited. 

The sound of Curiosity meowing echoed around the apartment in the stillness after Spencer put up the dessert. Aaron tried not to count the seconds that passed until Spencer finally appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. He stepped inside and shut the door as Aaron heard claws on the floor. 

"He doesn't like being shut out of the bedroom?" Aaron asked. He stayed where he was on the bed and waited for Spencer to come to him. Spencer shook his head as he stepped across the room toward Aaron. Spencer didn't stop moving until he was straddling Aaron's lap. Spencer stared down at Aaron for several seconds before he kissed him. Aaron settled his hands on Spencer's hips as he felt Spencer shift on his lap. Aaron groaned as Spencer shifted closer. He settled there for a few seconds before Aaron got curious what he was doing. Aaron watched him finish unbuttoning his shirt before he rolled his shoulders, letting the shirt drop to the floor. Aaron realized that he hadn't been wearing an undershirt. For a few seconds, Aaron just let his gaze wander over all of the skin that was on display.

Spencer was fitter than Aaron thought that Spencer should be. There was definition all over his stomach and disappearing down into pants. However, it was something on Spencer's arm that caught Aaron's attention. Aaron felt Spencer tense as he lifted his hand to trace the words there. Aaron pressed a kiss to the uppermost part of the soulmark. He didn't pay attention to the words that were there. Instead, he kissed up the skin of Spencer's arm and onto his neck. Spencer went pliant in Aaron's arms as Aaron wrapped them around Spencer's waist to close the last bit of distance between their bodies. 

Aaron felt Spencer wiggle his hands between their bodies to work on unbuttoning Aaron's shirt. Aaron pressed kissed to Spencer's jaw and neck as he felt the cool air in the room swirl around his now open shirt. Spencer was damned good at unbuttoning shirts. Spencer trailed his fingers up Aaron's chest before tipping his chin up. 

"Just because I am silent does not mean that you have to be as well."

"I'm sorry, hard to talk with my mouth pressed against your skin."

Spencer smiled at him before he slid backward off of Aaron's lap. Aaron watched Spencer as he worked the belt on his pants free before starting to work them off. Aaron stood up and started to strip as well. Stripping each other could come later when they both weren't as hungry as for this as they were. Aaron could tell that Spencer was a little shy about being naked, his hands shook a little as he pushed his boxer briefs down his legs. Aaron didn't say a word as he sat down on the bed, crooking his finger to coax Spencer over to him. Spencer stepped closer, but he stopped when Aaron scooted back on the bed more. Spencer took another step, and Aaron scooted back more. Aaron waited, and just seconds later Spencer took two short but fast steps, Aaron pushed himself back a little on the bed, twice in response. 

Aaron laughed as he watched Spencer's shoulder start to shake with barely contained laughter. Spencer raised a leg and rested a knee on the bed. Aaron was watching that knee too close, so he missed Spencer bracing himself before launching up onto the bed. Aaron felt the bed shake and laid down, as his head came to rest on the pillow, Spencer's face was appearing. Spencer was smiling as he came to rest between Aaron's spread legs. Aaron crooked his finger again, and Spencer came a little closer, their cocks bumping as Spencer came flush with Aaron's body. 

Spencer's eyes closed in pleasure, and his lips parted in a gasp. Aaron reached up and pulled him down to kiss him. Spencer wiggled his arms up to brace them on either side of Aaron's head. 

"Do you like foreplay, Spencer?" Aaron asked as he spread his legs a little more, tilting his hips to where Spencer could access him easier. Spencer lifted his head up to where he could see Aaron better. "I promised to stay out of your drawers. So why don't you get the lube and condoms out before we get any further along."

Spencer nodded his head in agreement. Aaron leaned up to lick at a nipple as Spencer stretched over him to get to the drawer. He wasn't shocked that when he looked and saw how orderly the drawer was. Spencer grabbed a bottle of lube that Aaron was shocked how full it was. However, the condoms that were already separated did not shock him at all. 

"How do you want to do this?" Aaron wasn't sure. He knew that not all men like anal sex. Aaron had never had an issue with it, but if Spencer did, Aaron was more than willing to be the one taking it as it were. Or they didn't even need to have sex like that. 

Spencer pushed up to where he was looking down at Aaron while sitting on his heels. Aaron settled his hands on Spencer's hips as the younger man looked down at him. He pressed his thumbs into the skin of Spencer's hips, watching Spencer's mouth drop open. Aaron leaned up and wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist. 

"Do you want to be under me?" Aaron asked. Spencer's breathing deepened. He nodded. Aaron tightened that arm around Spencer's waist and flipped Spencer under him. Aaron watched his eyes the entire time. There was no fear, no sudden look of uncertainty, if anything his eyes darkened at the show of strength. Aaron grabbed Spencer's hands and plastered them on the bed just above Spencer's head, holding them down there. Spencer didn't try and pull out of the hold, if anything he pushed up and into it, trying to get to Aaron's mouth. Aaron thought stayed just far enough away to where he couldn't. 

If anyone could make a gasp needy sounding, it was Spencer. Aaron felt the exhalation of breath on his face, but all he did was grin. 

"You aren't answering me, so I'm just going to keep us like this," Aaron said as he started to rock their lower bodies together. Every single time that Spencer made a noise of any kind, a deep breathe, a sudden gasp, that breathy little thing that Aaron called a moan, Aaron would rock them together just a little harder. Spencer's mouth opened up, and his entire body went taut. Aaron hissed as his hands were squeezed in Spencer's as the genius came. 

Spencer laid there panting as Aaron looked down at him, it had been hot as hell, watching Spencer come undone from just that. Aaron let go of his hands and pushed himself up. He made sure that Spencer was aware of what he was doing before he maneuvered himself between Spencer's legs. Aaron reached up and grabbed the lube, snapping the lid open, watching Spencer's eyes widen in shock. 

Aaron had to pay attention to Spencer's face more as he teased around Spencer's hole with his lubed fingers. It was easy to get lost in his expressive eyes and the way his mouth dropped open the first time that Aaron pressed his fingers inside. Spencer started to blush the longer that Aaron stared at him but he didn't ask him to stop. Aaron pushed his finger into Spencer's hole as far as he could get. He played more than anything. 

Spencer splayed his legs wide giving Aaron plenty of access to him. Aaron grabbed the condom from where Spencer had set it down and opened the package with his teeth. He wanted to be able to get inside of Spencer as soon as the younger man let him. Being prepared was the name of the game. Aaron coated his cock in some of the lube on his fingers after he slipped the condom on. Spencer's eyes watched him the whole time. There was something in Spencer's eyes that Aaron wanted to get rid of. It looked almost like fear and Aaron remembered that no one had ever accepted Spencer for how he was. 

Aaron grabbed his undershirt from where he had thrown it as he had undressed to make sure something was on hand to wipe his hand on. He cleaned up both of his hands, just to be safe before he leaned over Spencer. The younger man hitched his legs up and around Aaron's waist, as Aaron guided his cock into Spencer. Spencer was utterly relaxed as Aaron's cock breached him, there was no hesitation, no tightening of muscles. His body accepted Aaron's cock with no issue. 

Spencer gasped when Aaron was flush with him, and Aaron couldn't take it, he grabbed Spencer's knees and pushed his legs up against his chest, allowing Aaron to lean over and kiss him. Aaron had wanted their first time to be gentle, loving, more like making love their fucking but he couldn't hold himself back. Spencer grabbed hold of Aaron's head and held him in place as Aaron braced himself so he could thrust inside of him. 

Aaron felt Spencer hardening again as their two lower bodies rubbed his cock between them. When Spencer's hands slipped down, grabbing at Aaron's back and he jerked his face away from Aaron, Aaron settled to fuck him harder. Spencer pulled him down a little more, to where he could bury his face in Aaron's neck. Aaron could feel Spencer's lips moving against his skin, and while he wanted to know what the younger man was saying, he wasn't going to force the man to repeat it to where he could. 

The silence that surrounded them would have upset Aaron years before, but now, it allowed Aaron to hear each little intake of breath from Spencer on every thrust. Aaron stayed silent because he wanted to hear it all. Each wet exhalation against Aaron's skin was like a brand, it traveled down to Aaron's cock. Aaron wanted to know Spencer's reactions to everything. Hear him do his own version of crying out the first time he came inside of Aaron. Watch his face as Aaron fucked him from underneath. Spencer riding him for all he was worth. 

It made Aaron wonder what kind of lover's Spencer's other boyfriends and girlfriends had been. They had to be selfish or at least uncaring. Aaron wasn't going to ask though. He didn't want to bring up the past because as much as the friendship was based on Aaron's own troubled past, he wanted their future to not look at it so much. 

Aaron came first, pressing his lips to Spencer's shoulder as he did. After a few more thrusts, Aaron felt Spencer's hands curl on his back, dragging down, at the small of Aaron's back, his nails bit into Aaron's skin, and he knew that Spencer was probably drawing blood. Aaron stayed where he was, draped over Spencer. 

There were a few seconds where Aaron fought the feeling coming over him, but he didn't want to, for once. Aaron shifted a little and closed his eyes as he gently pulled out of Spencer. With shaking hands he pulled the condom off and leaned over to drop it into his trash can by his bedside. Aaron laid on his side, looking at Spencer's face as the young man breathed. Aaron reached up and turned Spencer's face to him. He placed a kiss there and then Aaron was asleep. 

* * *

Spencer slipped back into bed after cleaning himself and Aaron up. Aaron was still asleep, and Spencer couldn't help but smile at Aaron inching closer to Spencer while he was asleep. Aaron's back was facing away from him, so Spencer couldn't get a good look at the scars. Spencer knew that some men fell asleep after orgasm, but he had never met one, Spencer found it kind of cute. Rolling to his stomach, Spencer turned his head to watch Aaron sleep. 

Aaron woke up slowly it was a testament to how much Aaron trusted him or how tired he was. Spencer brushed a lock of hair off of Aaron's forehead, and it made the man crinkle his nose. Spencer leaned forward and kissed that nose. Aaron's eyes opened.

"Sorry. I've never been able to stay awake after orgasm unless sex was still going on."

Spencer mouthed, it's cute, at Aaron. Aaron's face relaxed some. Aaron rolled to his side, propping his head up on his hand and looking down at Spencer. With his open hand, Aaron lifted up Spencer's arm and pressed a kiss to the words there before he read them. 

"That's from My Fair Lady, the song Show Me."

Spencer nodded. 

"That has got to be frustrating. To hear someone say the words and not feel it, the falling in love. It's a wonder you still even like the show." Aaron pressed another kiss to the word before he tugged at Spencer to make him roll onto his back. "That's going to be easier for us to talk."

Spencer reached up and pulled Aaron's face down for a kiss. The habit of laying on his hands was going to be one it seemed that Aaron stopped. 

"I don't have a mark. I never did. I wasn't born with one, and it went away or faded. Sean has a mark, and I don't." Aaron reached out and brushed a lock of hair from Spencer's forehead before he sighed. "Every single Hotchner male has had a soulmark and other than my father, and I really have no clue about Sean, have married them. My father's soulmate died when he was young. This is back when they did those parties to try and make couples get together. My father was at a party with a group of his friends. He was a freshman at college, and at the party, one of the hired help for the house owner died in the pool. It was too cold out, but it seems that the pool had been uncovered for the light the pool gave off or something. She had been drinking and fell in, unable to get out. My father was inside when his visible mark faded on his skin. It had put a downer on the whole of the party. I didn't know until much later that she had been shoved into the pool and had told one of the other ladies who was doing the waitressing duties that she had met her soulmate that night. I don't know if my father killed her or that someone was jealous. Mother was there at the party as a plus one for a friend who loathed to go alone. Mother's family were social climbers but had the money needed to be one of the families It for the area. If my father or even my mother did it, they took that to the grave."

Spencer knew why Aaron was telling it to him. Spencer was afraid though of telling Aaron that he was in love. Spencer didn't want to scare him off, and things were too new for a commitment like the fact that Aaron was Spencer's soulmate, even if Spencer wasn't Aaron's. No matter what happened, Spencer was going to cherish Aaron for as long as he had him. 

"Was Sean cherished because he had a mark?" Spencer had heard of families that did that, but he never understood it. Research project after research project had been done on the soulmarks and when they appeared, why, and how but nothing ever came of it. In fact, most left the researchers with more questions. There wasn't a lot of things known except that the more religious groups claimed their God, Gods, or Goddesses were the ones responsible. 

"My father had my DNA tested, to make sure that I was his, that I was a Hotchner. Seven times in fact and the last was when I was fifteen, and he never told my mother about the last, paranoid that she was making the results be falsified. I think that it was a side effect of the chemo for that one." Aaron leaned over and kissed Spencer. Spencer could feel a storm of emotions in the kiss. Wrapping his arms around Aaron, Spencer pulled him down a little. Spencer could feel the slightly raised skin where his nails had scratched Aaron, but there were harder, deeper scars on Aaron's back. 

Spencer pushed Aaron up and coaxed him onto his back. The scars from Foyet's attack on Aaron had not started to fade yet. They were still red and angry looking. Spencer touched the top one, and Aaron's body jerked like he wasn't to get away. Spencer though just laid his hand down, covering the entire scar with his palm and spread his fingers. 

"I don't..." Aaron trailed off. He looked down, looking at Spencer's hand and then his eyes darted lower. Aaron rolled onto his side before he sat up. He grabbed his underwear from the floor and walked into Spencer's bathroom, shutting the door most of the way. Spencer got up off the bed as well and grabbed his sleep pants. He dug to the bottom of the drawer that he kept his sleep clothes in and found the pants that were a size too large for him and hoped that Aaron's slightly bulkier frame would fit in them. Spencer reached around the wall and set the clothes down on the counter. 

"Thank you, Spencer," Aaron called out. 

Spencer dressed in the sleep pants but left a shirt off. Aaron was always very warm to the touch, so Spencer didn't want to heat up in the night if Aaron slept in the bed. He could always put on a shirt if Aaron didn't. 

Tidying up around the bed, Spencer split up the clothes between his and Aaron's. Spencer tossed Aaron's undershirt into the hamper with Spencer's clothes, it was not going to be able to be worn without cleaning. The bathroom door opened and Aaron was standing there dressed in just his sleep pants. Spencer offered over a T-shirt. 

"The one night stand. I told the guy that the scars were off limits. I didn't want to talk about them. You know, but I wasn't expecting you to react like you did. I promised Jessica that I wouldn't hide things from you like I did that day. I should have just asked you to leave that day or told Jack I wasn't feeling well and went to my room and stayed. I don't know how to react to my scars, Spencer."

Spencer sat down on the edge of the bed. "How did Haley react to the ones on your back?"

"She never knew they were there. She wasn't-" Aaron stopped talking and moved over to the bed. He didn't sit down beside Spencer but instead walked around it and crawled into the other side, laying down on his back. Spencer turned and sat down at Aaron's side, his legs crossed. "You are the first one that's ever grabbed my back during sex. I know you had to feel the scars there. It didn't bother me until I realized that you would be able to tell the difference between your scratches and the scars there. FOyet's scars don't bother me. I worked through them with a therapist. I did a lot of talk with my therapist once I realized the depth of Jack's psychological trauma. He needed me better, and he needed me to be the best that I could be. It was the first time I had ever been honest with a therapist in my life. The scars on my front are sort of a badge of honor. I didn't let Foyet destroy my life, and he could have so easily."

"The scars on your back are not shameful. You survived that too. You didn't let it break you. You didn't become a monster because of your father." Spencer reached out again, laying his hand on Aaron's heart but Aaron pushed it lower, settling it over the top scar. 

"No, I didn't. I became someone who hunts monsters." 

Spencer touched and traced each of the nine scars that were there. When he reached the bottom-most scar, Spencer looked into Aaron's eyes as he wrapped his fingers around Aaron's side, his fingers brushing the start of a scar that wrapped a little around Aaron's side. Spencer scooted back enough to allow Aaron the room to roll over and pulled as he scooted. Aaron fought Spencer for a few seconds before he gave in and rolled onto his stomach. Spencer got up off the bed, feeling Aaron's eyes on him as he did. Spencer turned on the lamp on his nightstand as he passed it before turning off the overhead lights. Aaron was more in shadow than anything else so Spencer hoped that Aaron wouldn't be upset. Spencer climbed back onto the bed and straddled Aaron's ass. He didn't ask if it was okay, it was too dark to be able to do that, but he hoped that if Aaron was upset by any part of it, that he would say. 

Aaron tensed up a little, but he didn't say anything. Aaron's back was crisscrossed with scars, some long and horrid looking while others were thin. Spencer knew from case files what had made them, a belt. Spencer laid his hands on Aaron's lower back, letting his thumbs rub just on either side of his spine for a few seconds. Aaron inhaled and exhaled but said nothing still. Spencer let his fingers dance around the scars that lined Aaron's back. Skirting all of them. Aaron relaxed the longer that Spencer did skirt his fingers around the scars until Aaron moved his arms. Spencer watched Aaron curl his arms up and smashed the pillow under his head to where he had it bunched up there. Spencer raked his eyes of Aaron's shoulders, seeing the definition of his muscles better. 

The movement showed Spencer a scar that he hadn't paid that much attention to. Spencer didn't touch around it as it was very much a different kind of scar. Spencer didn't scratch or press hard at all, nothing that would be painful at all. He gave all of his attention to the scars though. Spencer hated that Aaron had been able to hide them from Haley. 

It wasn't something that should not have been able to have been done. Aaron shouldn't have been able to hide the scars from her. How had Haley never realized that she had never seen her husbands back? Aaron might have not been the best husband, choosing his job over her happiness but it didn't seem like she tried hard to understand him or to get him really. Spencer would keep his observations to himself. He could see everything through a different light than Aaron. 

Spencer lost track of time as he touched and rubbed at each and every single scar. Spencer scooted up at one point, straddling Aaron's lower back more than his ass. He brushed his thumbs over the edge of the scar that was made by a blade. Aaron was utterly relaxed underneath of him, Spencer could have done anything to him, and Aaron wouldn't pull away. Spencer could tell the scar was not as old as the others. It was older though. 

Aaron was mostly asleep when Spencer leaned over and pressed his lips to the scar. He remembered one of his favorite quotes from _Les Misérables._ He mouthed those words onto Aaron's skin.

Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.


	14. March 2010

Aaron rolled over in bed with a groan. It had been a few weeks since Aaron and Spencer's first date, and it had been an excellent few weeks. Aaron and Spencer had another date planned for that night, and Aaron hadn't been able to think about anything but it since Spencer had asked him about it at work the day before. After a horrid case, Applehorn had given the team a three day weekend, and Aaron had been more than willing to call work done at five the day before so he could get home to Jack, who he hadn't seen since the case had been finished as they hadn't left until the morning. 

While Spencer and Aaron had been on a few dates since that first one, sex had not come up again, mainly due to the fact that neither of them had spent the night with the other between work, Jack, and a very ill-timed case. Aaron had been jerking off near daily, usually in the shower since that night and Aaron was looking forward to not having to do it on his own. 

Pushing down the sheet that was covering him, Aaron looked at the tent his cock was making in his pants. He was debating what to do about the erection because while a jerk off session in the shower sounded like a good plan if Aaron didn't, tonight would be all that much better. Aaron rolled off the bed and padded to the bathroom so that he could shower. Aaron had been too tired the night before, he had been so tired that when Jessica had come up in the middle of the night for a drink of juice, she woke Aaron up from where he had fallen asleep on the couch watching a musical that he had seen on Spencer's shelves. Jessica had sent him to bed after that with a smirk on her face and a shove.

Aaron stripped out of his clothes and looked at himself in the mirror. He could still make out the fading bruise that Spencer had sucked on his collarbone when they had been making out like teenagers in the backseat of Aaron's car in the resident parking of Spencer's building after work one day. Aaron pressed his finger against it and hissed as he pressed too hard, hoping to make it stay. There wasn't a lot that Aaron could do if Spencer finally met his soulmate but for Aaron, it was worth it because being around the gentle genius was one of the best times of his life. 

That night with Spencer touching Aaron in places that no one ever had, that Aaron hadn't allowed anyone to touch, Aaron had fallen in love. With Spencer straddling his waist and his lips pressed to the scar that Aaron's father had given with him with a knife when he had fifteen. Aaron had been shocked to realize that Spencer was mouthing words into his skin. Aaron hadn't even asked what the man had said, not wanting to break the moment. Not long after that moment, Aaron had fallen asleep and the next morning had been too late, even if Aaron had wanted to ask. 

Aaron had woke up that next morning with Spencer plastered to his side with his head over Aaron's heart like he needed to know that his heart was beating. Spencer's arm had been thrown over Aaron's chest, and it hadn't taken much to get the arm turned over to where Aaron could look at the words. He thought about the fact that Spencer wasn't his, not really. That anyone with the right words could steal Spencer from him. Aaron wanted to rage at how unfair it was, that the one person that seemed to get Aaron better than anyone else in the world wasn't meant to be his. Aaron would keep him for as long as he could, and he wasn't sure how he would react when Spencer's soulmate swept into their lives. 

The cold water at the start of the shower helped Aaron's erection deflate to where Aaron hoped it wouldn't be an issue the rest of the day. Aaron had plans with Jack in the morning and in the afternoon and most that revolved around finally telling Jack about them. Jessica agreed that it was time to start letting Jack see Aaron and Spencer together and affectionate with each other. Aaron was worried that Jack's claim on Spencer would upset the boy and make him think that Spencer liked him less. Jessica wasn't as worried about that but was worried about Jack reading too much into the relationship too fast and pushing both Spencer and Aaron into a stronger relationship before they were ready. That had a lot of merit, there was already a stronger relationship built between them than usual with all the time they had spent together before actually getting together. 

Aaron was using a towel on his hair with a towel wrapped around his waist when the bathroom door opened. Aaron grabbed the edge of the towel around his waist to stop it from falling and turned to yell at Jessica when Aaron saw that it was Jack. Jack always knocked. Aaron had the words right in his mouth when he saw that Jack didn't look good and the boy was headed toward the toilet. Jack leaned over and threw up into the toilet before he dropped to his knees and laid his head on the toilet seat. Aaron realized that Jack had probably been coming in to knock on the door when the urge hit that he needed to puke. Aaron wasn't going to bring up the coming into the bathroom at all. 

Grabbing the sleep pants from the night before, Aaron turned his back to Jack before he stripped off the towel and slipped the pants on. Jack hadn't been too hyper the night before, but Aaron had chalked it up to Jessica keeping his busy. Aaron sat down behind Jack before picking him and cradling him in his lap. Jack kept on throwing up until he was just dry heaving. Aaron waited for Jack to turn around and curl into him before he stood up, holding Jack to his chest before he set his son down on the counter beside the sink. Aaron turned the faucet on and let it run on the coldest setting for a moment before he filled a glass. 

Jack took the glass and took a small amount of the water into his mouth before he leaned over and spit it out. Jack did that several times while Aaron went to find a soft rag that he wet under the running water before he used it to wipe at Jack's face. After he was sure that no sick was left on Jack's face, Aaron washed out the rag and wrung it out before lying on the back of Jack's neck. Jack held up his hands, so Aaron picked him up, holding him by the back of his neck to make sure the rag didn't fall while he stepped into the bedroom. A quick dart of his hand out and he snagged a shirt from the top of the dresser where had left his T-shirt from the night before in case he had wanted to sleep in it. Jack wasn't making a sound or moving really so Aaron took it slow, especially on the steps because he didn't need the boy throwing up because of the up and down of the steps. 

In the living room, Aaron laid Jack down on the couch, and the boy curled onto his side. Aaron shifted the rag around to where it wasn't going to fall off of his neck before he moved to the kitchen. There was a cabinet with cans of ginger ale that was well within Jack's reach for this reason it also held a box of two packs of crackers so that Jack could grab a few if he had an upset stomach. Aaron grabbed two cans of the pop as well as few packs of the crackers. Aaron looked at the coffee pot but decided against that and instead filled the electric kettle with water and turned it on. He walked into the living room to set the pop and crackers down, ruffling Jack's hair letting his fingers graze Jack's forehead, he couldn't tell if Jack had a fever or not. Aaron tried to remember where the thermometer was. 

Aaron prepared the reusable strainer with the tea that he wanted before he set it into his cup. It was one that he drank without sugar, so if Jack wanted a few sips, he could have some. Aaron would just put it into a different cup, to hopefully make it so that he didn't get sick. 

"Good morning, Aaron," Jessica said as she came up out of her part of the house. She looked around. "Jack not hungry yet?"

"I don't think he's going to be hungry for much for a while. He surprised me by running into my bathroom while I was toweling off and puking in my toilet. I've got him on the couch right now with a few cans of ginger ale and crackers. I'm just making some tea for me, so the smell of coffee doesn't make him sicker."

"Poor boy. I'll call the school and let them know. They sent home a memo that there was a stomach bug going around the school and to keep any kid home that was suspected to have it, even if there was no fever."

"Thanks." Aaron finished with the tea, setting a little ramekin on the small tray he used to carry the tea to the living room. Aaron had a cup for Jack on there in case the boy wanted some and a little pot with more hot water for the second steeping of the leaves. Aaron filled both his cup and the pot with water before picked up the tray. Aaron had a feeling that once he sat down, Jack wasn't going to allow him up to do anything, so he was ready for an extended stay on the couch. 

Aaron set down the tray on the coffee table before he leaned over to pick up Jack. The boy wasn't asleep, but he didn't fight his father lifting him up. Aaron sat down and laid Jack back down to where his head was pillowed on Aaron's thigh, but Jack started to move as soon as he was released. Aaron wasn't shocked when Jack pulled on his legs trying to get Aaron to pull them up onto the couch. Aaron knew exactly what Jack wanted, so he shifted to where he was laying on his side with his upper body and arm propped on the arm of the couch and his legs stretched down the couch. Jack scrambled into the area behind his knees, and when Jack was settled down, Aaron curled his legs up to make a little nest which Jack settled into with a sigh. Jack rested his head on the side of Aaron's hip. It was comfortable for the boy, and Aaron hated that one day he would be too big for sleeping there. 

Jack's eyes started to blink after a few seconds before they closed and he stopped moving except for breathing. Jessica came into the living room with one of the lighter blankets from the hall closet and tossed it over Aaron's legs and Jack. 

"Thanks, Jessie."

"The school said that some of the kids had it for just a single day and others it's been four or five days so if he's not up to coming in on Monday that's fine. They are sending an email with his lessons for the today and Monday just in case you wanted to work over them with him. His visit with the therapist today has been pushed to Tuesday, and his extra sign language lesson on Tuesday is just going to be skipped." Jessica reached out and brushed the hair back from Jack's face with a smile. "If you need anything just text. I'm working from your office today. I know you are loathed to get up and disturb him when he's sick like this."

Aaron opened his mouth to ask for a package of pop tarts from the cabinet when Jessica held out a pack of them. It wasn't the best breakfast, but it was easy, and there was no cleanup and no smell to upset Jack's stomach. Aaron settled down and grabbed his cup of tea, pulling the strainer out and setting it on the ramekin that he had grabbed before leaning back. Aaron smelled the tea and relaxed, the smell of it was helping him relax. 

The lure of texting Spencer was high, but Aaron knew that if he did, he would have to tell the younger man that it might be best for them not to go on a date. Aaron had spent time with Jack the night before, and if he was going to share his sickness, there was a small chance that he and Jessica weren't going to get it.

"Do you want that pile of books that you bought the other day?" Jessica asked.

"Please."

Aaron watched Jessica move to the bookshelf in the corner and grab the new stack of books that Aaron had bought. Some were authors that Spencer liked and others were new authors that wrote spy novels. Aaron looked at the top two which were the ones that were from Spencer's favorite current science fiction authors. Spencer liked science fiction just about a much as he loved plays and musicals. Aaron was willing to read a few, he had never got into science fiction as a kid mainly because his interests lie elsewhere but also it was another thing that his father considered a flight of fancy and not for real men who worked real jobs and had a real life. It was one of those things that Aaron had just never used to rebel. 

"I mean it, Aaron. If you need anything, please just text."

"I will. I promise."

"I set out some of the chicken broth that you froze, and we can make some soup later for all of us. If Jack keeps down some crackers and pop when he wakes up." 

Aaron nodded as he opened up the cover of the first of the science fiction books. Aaron read the summary and decided that it wasn't what he was in the mood for at the moment. Aaron set aside both of the science fiction books and picked up the top spy novel. He remembered that it had interested him the most that day at the store. Aaron opened the drawer on the end table and found one of the magnetic bookmarks that Jack had talked Jessica into buying for him. The bookmarks had the FBI logo on them. 

Seventy-five pages into the book, Aaron heard his phone chime. It was a soft little trill of notes that told Aaron that it was Spencer. Aaron picked up his now cold second cup of tea and took a drink before he grabbed the phone and unlocked it. 

_ What are you up to this morning? _

** Cuddling with Jack on the couch. **

Aaron didn't set the phone down, but Spencer's reply message took a lot longer to arrive than it usually did. Aaron had to wake up his phone again to keep the screen lit up. 

_He's not in school today?_

**No, he's home sick. The school is passing around a stomach bug, and I'm sure that Jessica and I will be getting it.**

**__** _Poor little guy. So we aren't going on our date tonight?_

Aaron could hear the disappointment in Spencer words, and he hated to cancel on him, but Jack needed him more than Spencer needed a date with him. However, Aaron really wanted to see him in a non-work capacity. Aaron looked down at Jack's still sleeping face. They could play the day by ear, and if Spencer was willing to risk getting sick, he could come over for a simple dinner and possibly a sleepover.

** Give me a few hours to see how Jack is going to be. I don't want to leave him, but if you don't mind the risk of getting sick as well, we wouldn't say no to you coming over for sandwiches for dinner._ **

There were a few things that Aaron knew that they needed for sandwiches. Jessica had been busy with work all week and Aaron being out of town meant that it was shopping that got dropped off the to-do lists for them. Aaron knew that the closest store would deliver for a fee or he could call and have them get it ready and see if Spencer would stop and grab it all. Aaron could pay him back. Aaron was confident that he had enough cash if Spencer let him pay him back. 

_ Only if Jack is okay with it. I know that sick kids like to have their parents around them. I don't want to upset him while he is sick. _

**I'm sure that Jack will be okay with you coming over, Spencer. I'm sure that he'd love to cuddle with you as well as me, especially when I need to get up.**

_Yes, that's what I am, a cuddle substitute. When do you think would be a good time for me to come over?_

**This afternoon by then I should know how Jack is doing and know if he's even up for visitors.**

Aaron felt Jack shift, and he set down the phone, ready to see if Jack was going to get up and take off for the bathroom. However, all he did was curl a little more to where his head was kind of tucked at Aaron's knee and pull the blanket more around himself. Aaron laid his hand on Jack's head and rubbed. When Jack woke up from his nap, Aaron would make sure that he ate some crackers and drank something but sleep was the best thing for him at the moment. The phone vibrated on the arm of the couch, so Aaron picked it up and looked at it. 

Little hands took the phone from him, and Aaron was shocked that Jack was awake. Aaron wasn't sure what he was doing so he let the boy do what he wanted. He was typing away on the phone, and before Aaron could grab the phone, Jack hit send. Aaron took the phone from Jack, but all the boy did was cuddle down into his nest. Aaron glared at him a little bit before he read the message that Jack had sent to Spencer. 

** need you, Spencer, please. **

Aaron's heart broke a little bit. Aaron set his phone down again and picked up Jack, blanket and all before he rotated onto his back and laid Jack on his chest. 

"He'll be over later, Jack. We were just making plans for him to come over after you've got some sleep in you and a little bit of drink and food."

_Will he stay the night?_

"I don't know. It depends on how he feels. He's going to come over later, and we can just see how the night goes. I'm sure that he will stay until you fall asleep."

Jack nodded and laid his head down again. Aaron shut off the DVD player and instead turned on cartoons for Jack. Aaron knew that Spencer had texted back, but he wanted to wait until Jack was distracted.

_ Do you want me to come over now, Aaron? Will that make him feel better? _

**You don't need to come over now. Wait until he's feeling a little better. Bring an overnight bag just to be safe. He wants you to stay the night.**

_ Okay _

The short response was odd from the genius, but Aaron wasn't going to let his brain read into that. It was probably from him being worried about Jack and going for short instead fighting Aaron on what was best for Jack. 

* * *

Spencer placed the last of the groceries that Aaron had asked him to pick up. Spencer had insisted on Aaron sending him a list and he would l]pick them out instead of having the store pick up and gather them. Spencer was unsure if he wanted to stay the night. Yes, he had stayed over that one night, but that had been on the couch with Jack right there. Not sleeping in Aaron's bed with Jack in the room across the hall. 

It was the first relationship that Spencer had been in with someone who had a child. While Jack was an easy child, Spencer was still unsure what exactly he wanted Jack to know. Catching his father and Spencer kissing had been one thing but finding them in bed together...Spencer was just unsure. He didn't like feeling unsure. He didn't like that feeling at all. So instead, Spencer was obsessing. 

Finding things in the store that used to make him feel better when he was sick wasn't as easy as he thought. Many things were different between the East and West coasts. So Spencer had found as much as he could, as well as more ginger ale. 

A chime went off on his phone and Spencer opened it up to find that Jack had got ahold of Aaron's phone again and was sending texts. Spencer smiled at the misspelled words, but he understood that Jack really wanted him there. That was the other thing that had Spencer freaking out. When this relationship fizzled, Spencer knew that he could continue to work with Aaron and he was confident Aaron could work with him but how was Spencer supposed to break Jack's heart? 

Spencer texted back that he was on his way. He shut the trunk lid as he heard the doors behind him open. Spencer didn't turn even though he wanted to. 

"And he didn't say a word. He just smiled and nodded when I told him to have a nice day. Did I tell you that he waved at me when I said hello? He was so rude. He couldn't even muster up the word hello. I hate people like that." The voice wasn't that familiar, but Spencer knew that it had to be the lady who worked his register. Spencer turned around to see her and another worker coming out of the store with packs of cigarettes in their hands. The worker looked up at him and stopped dead in her tracks. There wasn't a thing she could say to cover what she had just said. 

"I'm sorry that you found my lack of words rude," Spencer signed at her even though he knew that she couldn't understand him.

"Shit. That's sign language. I'm sorry," the other co-worker said, and she made a hold motion for him. Spencer cocked his head to the side and took off into the store. The other woman was still just staring at Spencer. About thirty seconds later the second co-worker came back out with a man behind her. 

"Hello," the man said, and Spencer cocked his head to the side because he swore that he knew the man. However, when another man followed him, Spencer knew that man. 

"Doctor Reid," Will LaMontagne said as he stepped up to Spencer and waved at him. "What's the problem?"

Spencer saw that they were both wearing their shields, so they were on duty. The other detective which Spencer now knew he had seen in the new with JJ's partner stepped closer.

"What happened?" The detective asked. His fingers were sure and steady, he was well versed in sign language.

Spencer explained in the most agreeable terms that he could, he didn't want to get the woman in trouble but just to make her understand that not everyone could or would talk. Will's partner took both workers off to the side, and Will stayed right where he was.

"So what are you doing in this area of town?" Will asked. 

Spencer narrowed his eyes at him causing Will to laugh. 

"JJ made the comment that you and Hotch were a little too close and she wondered. So I guess now the question becomes, am I allowed to tell JJ that I saw you at Hotch's favorite store?" 

Spencer shrugged. 

"JJ and Prentiss are already wondering about the two of you. I would suggest that whatever you two are doing...talk to the team. I'll keep my silence for now and act shocked when JJ tells me you two are something."

Spencer nodded. Will looked around Spencer for a few seconds. 

"Where is your bag?"

Spencer pointed to the car. He hadn't even thought about using his phone inside the shop. Will walked to the car and Spencer started to blush when Will turned to smile at him.

"I know a go bag when I see it JJ used to bring hers with her on her weekend trips to see me. So are you staying the night or the weekend?"

Spencer held up a single finger which only caused Will to smile brighter. 

"Have a good day, Spencer and a lovely evening." Will tipped an imaginary hat at him before turning to go back to his partner. Spencer itched to pull out his phone and tell Aaron that he would drop off the groceries but then he had to leave. He had second thoughts about being around Jack while sick and afraid he would catch it. Spencer unlocked his car and slipped into the driver's seat. He arched up to get his phone from his pocket and stared at it. He didn't want to break Jack's heart but going over there and being this thing that he and Aaron were in front of him was going to hurt Jack. 

Spencer leaned his head against the steering wheel and breathed. Spencer knew that he needed to stop lying to himself. Spencer knew was the one that was going to get his heart broke. When he and Aaron ended, he would be alone, but Aaron and Jack would have each other, but there was no way that Spencer was going to stop what they were. Spencer would take the time that he was given and enjoy it. He'd love them both wholeheartedly until he was told that he wasn't allowed to anymore. Spencer would pick himself back up then, dust himself off and show the world that he wasn't broken. Because he wasn't going to let love break him. 

The drive to Aaron's was short, and when Spencer pulled into the driveway and parked behind Aaron's car, he was shocked to see Jessica's car there as well. He wondered if she was taking a late lunch to check on Jack and Aaron. She was coming out the door as Spencer got out of the car. She smiled at waved at him. In her hand was a box of some kind. 

"Aaron, Spencer is here!" Jessica called back into the house, aborting her movement of shutting it. Aaron appeared behind her, and the smile on his face told Spencer that it was all worth it. Every single moment that he had with Aaron, with is soulmate was worth it. 

"Spencer," Aaron greeted. He looked back inside and pointed, so Spencer assumed that Jack wanted to get up and see him, but Aaron was stopping him. Jessica walked past Spencer to her car. 

"Have fun."

Spencer waved in greeting and in goodbye. When he turned back, Aaron Was right there in front of him. Spencer jumped a little, but Aaron reached out and cupped the sides of his face.

"Do I get a better greeting?" Aaron asked as he leaned in just enough to brush their lips together. Spencer darted his eyes around, checking the neighborhood that he could see. "There are three other non-heteronormative relationships in the three-block radius of here, Spencer. Kiss me."

Spencer did just that, leaning in to give Aaron a kiss. Spencer wrapped his hands around Aaron's hips and pulled the man in a step further. Aaron hummed into the kiss as their lower bodies brushed. Aaron's thumbs traced the top of Spencer's cheekbones. 

"I'm going to do that whenever I feel like it, even around Jack today, Spencer. So tell me now if you don't want to. I don't believe in hiding affection between myself and my lovers from Jack. My parents hid what little affection they had for each other, and it made me think for a long time that it was wrong. Haley taught me differently."

Spencer's heart felt like it was in his throat, so he nodded and brushed his lips over Aaron's again. 

"Good. Now you get your things, and I'll grab the groceries. Thank you for getting them. Jack's been clingy, and Jessica was working from home before she got called into actually going into the office. I didn't want to leave Jack to get food." 

"It's okay. I didn't mind doing it."

"You are too nice." Aaron stepped back and turned toward the trunk miming for Spencer to pop the lid open on it. Spencer pressed the button on his key fob and watched Aaron get the things from the trunk. Spencer opened the back door and pulled out his messenger bag and his go bag. Spencer was more content now to spend the night, but it still had him on edge a little bit. 

Spencer slung his items over his shoulder before picking up the laptop bag. He had some work on it that he needed to get done for some cases Spencer closed in his former unit, and he hoped that cuddling with Jack would allow that. Spencer laughed at Aaron as he slipped the bags all over a single arm before coming up to Spencer and wrapping his free arm around him. Spencer wanted to reach out and mock hit him, but he was afraid that it would upset the man's delicate balance and break the things in the bags. 

Aaron laughed and just pulled Spencer into him tighter. Aaron pulled Spencer up to the door the with him, only relaxing his hold to allow Spencer to step through first. Spencer stepped around the little wall that made up the foyer of the house and saw Jack in a pile of blankets on the couch, he was pouting until he saw Spencer. Jack sat up but stopped when he glanced at his father. 

"Once Spencer is done in the kitchen he'll come sit with you."

Jack nodded and slid back down to where he was cuddled into his blankets again. He looked tired and just blah to Spencer. Spencer started to go into the kitchen, but Aaron pointed up the stairs.

"Put your things up first."

Spencer nodded and walked to the stairs. As he neared them, he debated his laptop bag before setting it down on a decorative table that was empty. Spencer found Aaron's room with ease, seeing the ruffled bed and was a little shocked that it wasn't made, but he thought about how Aaron had probably been dealing with Jack since whenever Jack had woke him up. There was a chair on the right side of the bed that Spencer set his bag down on before opening it up and grabbing his bathroom kit. When he moved into the bathroom, he stopped. There were items on the right-hand side of the sink that was not Aaron's. Aaron's things were on the left instead of spread over both sides. Spencer set his travel kit down to pick up each item. It was all his things. The same things that he used when on a case. Aaron wanted him to see it all, or the shower things would have been in the shower. There was even a contact case and the brand of solution that Spencer used. 

In the bedroom, Spencer saw a drawer open in the dresser, and he stepped over to find it empty. Spencer wasn't going to assume it was for him. He left his go bag where it was but slipped his bathroom kit back in it before he traded his contacts for glasses. They weren't going to be doing anything that would need him to stay in his contact lenses. 

Jack was fully ready for Spencer when Spencer came down the stairs. He had snuck over and grabbed Spencer's laptop bag and set it down on the coffee table but he didn't get into it. Jack was reading a book of his own and Spencer watched him read it for a minute before he moved into the kitchen. Aaron had already put up all the groceries and was standing in front of something that Spencer had never seen before. 

"Chai or black tea?" Aaron asked without even turning around. Spencer stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around Aaron's waist, laying his head between Aaron's shoulder blades. After a moment of resting his head there, Spencer lifted it up and looked over Aaron's shoulder. He saw the canisters there. Aaron lifted up one and let him smell it. It smelled spicy and perfect. Spencer tapped the canister. "Chai it is. I'm making Jack some ginger tea to help calm his stomach. His fever has broken, so he should start to feel a lot better. Do you mind taking it to him?"

Spencer nodded his head on Aaron's shoulder. He disengaged himself from Aaron and stepped to the side to grab the cup, but Aaron wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in for a kiss. Spencer pulled Aaron in closer for the kiss, taking a swipe at Aaron's lips when the man pulled away. Aaron laughed and reached up to brush hair back from Spencer's forehead. 

"Go cuddle with Jack, and I'll finish up our tea and pick a movie."

Spencer nodded. He grabbed the tea before pressing a kiss to Aaron's cheek. Jack was near asleep when Spencer walked into the living room. He was wrapped up in a cocoon, and his eyes kept drooping only to snap open again. Jack sat up all the way when he saw Spencer. Spencer set jack's mug in reach of him on the end table before just leaning over and picking the boy up. He let most of the blankets fall down so that he could cuddle Jack into his body before he sat down and pulled the heaviest around them. Jack laid his head on Spencer's chest, and within a minute he was going to sleep. 

Jack's face was utterly relaxed as Spencer started to card his hand through the hair that was growing longer by the day. Spencer watched his sleeping face and knew that he loved the boy as much as he loved Aaron. There was no going back for him. 

"You don't understand how happy that makes me, seeing you with him," Aaron said from the end of the couch. He had snuck up on Spencer. "And how happy I am that Jack took to you."

Spencer didn't want to give up running his hand through Jack's hair, so he dug out his phone and tapped away at it.

" _He is a good kid, and you and Haley did wonderfully with him. Any father would be proud to have him as their son._ "

"You and I both know that father's don't always love their children."

Spencer nodded. He looked down at Jack. " _Even if I still can't understand how fathers or mothers can be cruel to their children._ " 

Aaron set down a cup of tea right beside Jack's. It looked milky, so Spencer picked it up to take a drink. It tasted wonderful. Spencer made his little breathy moan that he had learned Aaron liked to hear him make. Aaron smiled at him before setting his mug down at the opposite end of the couch. He sat down, lifting Spencer's legs to let them rest in his lap. 

"Do you want to watch a movie or do you want me to read to you?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer raised his head up and looked at Aaron, he hadn't ever had anyone besides his mother read to him like that. Spencer looked at the TV and then back at Aaron. He saw that Aaron had a book sitting on the coffee table right beside where Jack had set Spencer's laptop bag. There was also a stack of DVDs from the local library. Spencer looked at the book and nodded toward it. Aaron grabbed the book and started to read.

The night started to fall, and Spencer wasn't asleep but he was pretty out of it, he hadn't realized that Aaron had stopped reading to him until there was a plate set down on the coffee table. Spencer realized that Aaron had not only stopped reading, but he'd cleaned up the area as well as made dinner. It was just sandwiches, but it was still food. The TV was playing in the background, and it had to have been why Spencer hasn't realized. 

Jack was roused to eat a few crackers with peanut butter and the ginger tea. He wanted to eat on Spencer's lap, and the adults let him. Just like Spencer's love of Aaron, it was too soon to tell Aaron that Spencer loved Jack too. Jack fell asleep not long after he finished eating, his fingers tangled in Spencer's shirt. 

"You ready to head up?" Aaron asked as he shut off the TV. Spencer looked at the time and looked at Aaron with a questioning look on his face. Aaron shifted, lifting Spencer's legs out of his lap to where he could lean over Jack and give Spencer a kiss. Spencer pressed up into it, gasping when Aaron licked into his mouth. "We don't have to sleep yet." 

Spencer nodded, pressing in for another kiss. 

"Can you carry him? I'll take your phone and grab mine before locking up."

Spencer handed over his phone, removing his other hand from Jack's hair. Jack barely moved as Spencer shifted him to where he could carry the boy easily. It was a heady feeling that Jack trusted him that much. Spencer pressed a kissed to Jack's forehead and mouthed I Love You into his hair. 

Settling Jack into the bed, Spencer shut off the main light and left the nightlight on the bed on. Jack didn't even wake up to beg for a story. Aaron never appeared in the room so Spencer figured that he knew the boy wouldn't ask for one. Spencer brushed the long locks from Jack's forehead, wondering why Aaron was letting it get as long as it was. Jack's hair was usually kept pretty short. Spencer didn't understand those that could hurt children. He could hunt them, but he would never fully understand why they did what they did. He could never understand why he left his disabled son with a mentally sick woman, even if she was his mom. 

Aaron wasn't in the bedroom when Spencer finally left Jack's room. Spencer frowned and was about to turn and leave when the door shut. Aaron was on him, pushing him into the wall. Spencer could only submit to the kiss that was stealing his breath. Aaron was hard and hungry, pressed against Spencer. Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck, trying to hold onto the ravenous kiss that was consuming him. 

Sex before had been the means of the connection between Spencer and his lovers. The relationship was built on it but this relationship, there was so much more than that was the basis. Aaron's hands worked themselves under Spencer shirt, his hands warm on Spencer's body. Spencer shivered feeling the hands on him. Aaron's hands moved down, over Spencer's cloth covered ass and down to the juncture of thighs and ass before he lifted. Spencer pulled his mouth away from Aaron's as he lifted his legs, Aaron guiding them around his waist. 

Spencer mouthed Aaron's name into his neck, near chanting it. At no moment in his life had he wanted to be able to speak more than he did at that moment. He wanted Aaron to hear how wrecked he was just from this. From Aaron wanting him as he was and nothing more. 

There was no discussion as Aaron pulled Spencer away from the wall and walked them toward the bed. However, instead of turning and pushing Spencer down into the bed, Aaron just sat on it, Spencer in his lap. 

"I want you, Spencer. Do you want me?"Aaron asked. 

Spencer nodded, his lips dragging up and down Aaron's neck before he leaned back to look Aaron in the face. Spencer framed Aaron's face before leaning in and kissing him. Spencer unwrapped his legs and moved to where he was kneeling on Aaron's lap. 

"I want you,"Aaron repeated. Aaron grabbed Spencer's hips and shuffled him backward until he was standing on his own two feet. Aaron started to strip naked, not getting up off the bed. Spencer watched him, seeing Aaron's hands shaking. Spencer knew that he was missing something because Aaron was nervous. 

It wasn't until Aaron scooted back on the bed and rolled onto his stomach that Spencer figured it out. Aaron was putting his back on display. He was showing Spencer the one thing he had kept from every other lover he had ever had. Aaron tucked his legs underneath of him, and Spencer figured out the rest. Spencer shivered as he stripped, tossing his undershirt up to where it could be used as a towel. He crawled onto the bed and touched Aaron's back. Aaron reached under the pillow and handed back the bottle of lube and a condom. 

Spencer knew what Aaron wanted but he didn't want to start like that, he would take Aaron on his hands and knees, but before that he wanted to kiss and watch Aaron's face. Spencer laid his hand on Aaron's hip and pushed until Aaron was on his side. Spencer grabbed his thigh that was pressed into the bed and pulled until Aaron was laying under him with his legs spread. Spencer slotted their hard cocks together as he leaned up to kiss Aaron. 

While they were kissing, Spencer coated two fingers with lube before capping the bottle and setting it and the condom down on the side of the bed. Spencer braced himself up on a single arm and slipped the other down to where he could tease at Aaron's opening. 

"I want..." Aaron stopped as Spencer breached his hole with his finger. Spencer gently eased out before pushing in just a little more. Aaron gasped as Spencer barely brushed his prostate. "I want you."

Spencer mouthed 'You'll get me' at Aaron, but the man wasn't looking at Spencer. He was looking at the ceiling above. Spencer pulled out and pressed back in with two. He brushed Aaron's prostate a little harder, feeling Aaron jerk and moan. Spencer grabbed the undershirt with his hand wiping his fingers off before he kissed Aaron Aaron, stroking their cocks together. Aaron's legs squeezed at Spencer's sides, trapping Spencer where he wanted him. Aaron grabbed Spencer's arms, to have something to hold onto Spencer figured. 

Several minutes they were like that, bodies rocking together, mouths pressed together, tongues tangling until Spencer couldn't take it any longer. Spencer pulled back, looking at Aaron as he stared at Spencer. Aaron looked wrecked but so good, with kiss swollen lips and his body flushed with arousal. Spencer wanted to take him like this, so he could see his face, see his eyes and know every single emotion that came across his face. He knew though that Aaron testing himself and Spencer wasn't going to deny him what he wanted. 

Aaron rolled over on his own, getting to hands and knees. Spencer leaned over him and grabbed the condom and lube again. He opened the condom and slipped it on before squirting lube into his hand. Spencer was careful as he coated his condom encased cock, he wanted it to be coated, but he didn't want to make himself go off before he got to be inside of Aaron. 

Pressing inside of Aaron, Spencer closed his eyes because it too tight and too hot and it made Spencer want to come right then. Slowly, Spencer got himself all the way inside of his lover, laying his head down between Aaron's shoulder blades. Spencer just breathed into Aaron's skin until he was sure that he wouldn't come before he wanted. It was hard, that first thrust. If he could, Spencer would just stay like that, inside of Aaron forever. 

The only thing that Spencer focused on was the feel of Aaron wrapped around his cock and the way that Aaron thrust back into him each time, the rhythm was perfect, and it was heaven. However Aaron got louder and louder, Spencer worried about waking up Jack. Spencer had never had sex with a kid in the house before. Aaron didn't try and muffle himself though so Spencer didn't either. 

Spencer felt himself getting closer and closer to orgasm, he shifted to where he was draped over Aaron's back and reached around to stroke Aaron's cock, but at the first brush of his fingers over Aaron's shaft, Aaron came with near shout. Spencer felt Aaron's muscles clench around him and it made him come as well. Spencer's eyes started to close, but as they did, he saw something that he hadn't noticed before. Just under the heavy scar with the blade, there was something else. It looked like thin scars. Spencer pushed his cock inside of Aaron as far as he could. 

Aaron started to fall down, his legs giving out and Spencer was barely able to make sure that he wasn't crushing the man as he started to fall asleep. Spencer was gentle as he pulled out of Aaron and dealt with the condom before he pushed Aaron onto his side and out of the wet spot. 

Spencer washed up himself before he got a rag and a hand towel to clean up Aaron. Spencer was gentle as he washed his lover. Aaron was utterly pliant and relaxed even as Spencer rolled him to get everywhere and to change the sheets on the bed. Aaron didn't react at all. Spencer laid on his side, with Aaron on his front, and traced the scars on his back. Spencer didn't know why he liked to do it, to soothe the emotional scars left by physical scars. 

Aaron was sleeping deeper than he had the time before and Spencer was getting a little bored with just laying there so he sat up and as he did, he remembered the scar on the top of Aaron's back. Spencer moved to straddle Aaron's lower back to that he could look at the scar at the best angle. 

Spencer had kept his glasses on, and he was kind of happy that he had as he took in the words that were there on Aaron's back. A soulmark. 

Aaron had a soulmark, and his father had tried to destroy it. 

Spencer looked for where Aaron had set his phone, and it was at the bedside that was definitely not Aaron's. Spencer searched for the camera function and leaned in to take a picture, but the phone wouldn't get it well enough. The pixel ratio was too small. Spencer looked around the room. Aaron was a parent that meant that he had to have a camera somewhere. Spencer spotted it on the top of the dresser. He slowly crept off of Aaron and made his way to grab the camera. Spencer saw that there was a battery pack for it on the dresser as well, so Spencer loaded it before making his way back to Aaron. Spencer straddled Aaron this time a little higher so that he could get a perfect angle for the picture. The flash of the camera brightened up the room, and Spencer felt Aaron shift.

"Spencer? Are you taking pictures of us naked?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer felt his stomach drop to the floor as he took in the words on Aaron's back.

Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise. 

Spencer knew precisely when he had mouthed those words on Aaron's skin, but for them to be the words that made Aaron fall in love with Spencer, Aaron had to have been awake to feel Spencer mouth them onto his skin. 

There was no telling how Aaron was going to take this. One would hope well but his whole world was going to change with this and change was not always taken well. Spencer slid off of Aaron and watched Aaron as he rolled over to look at Spencer. 

Spencer handed over the camera. He watched the look on Aaron's face as the man took in the picture. There was nothing there. No reaction. Spencer felt his gut start to churn.


	15. Arc 3-March 2010

Aaron heard the snap of the picture from his camera, and it took a few seconds for Aaron to realize what Spencer was doing. Aaron smiled to himself.

"Spencer? Are you taking pictures of us naked?" Aaron asked. He kind of hoped that Spencer was because it would be something that would shock him. A kink that would be a lot of fun. Aaron rolled onto his side as Spencer slid off of him and handed over the camera. Aaron looked at Spencer's face and saw that he was upset. Aaron looked down at the camera and saw that Spencer had taken a picture of Aaron's upper back. Just above his shoulder blades. Aaron knew which spot that was. That was where his father had taken the blade to him. Aaron didn't understand why Spencer would want him to look at the spot. Aaron was just about to ask when something more caught his eye. He looked and saw that the scar was covering up words. 

The scar didn't make the mark illegible. Aaron read the words. Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise. The words were not familiar. Aaron tried to rack his brain to figure out if he had ever heard them before, but he didn't know them. Aaron finally looked up at Spencer and saw that Spencer was worried. Spencer was afraid of Aaron leaving him.

"Spencer, this doesn't matter. I love you, and I don't care about a mark that I never knew that I had." Aaron pushed the thoughts of why he didn't know and everything about his father away from him. He needed to focus on Spencer. Aaron couldn't lose him. Aaron hadn't realized how much he really had wrapped himself around the younger man until he thought that Spencer would leave because Aaron did have a soulmark became a possibility. 

Spencer looked up at Aaron with shock on his face. Aaron still couldn't read his face as well as he should have been able to. Spencer was hiding from him, and Aaron didn't like it. Aaron grabbed the sheet and covered himself up as he sat where he was facing Spencer. Aaron reached out and grabbed Spencer's hand to pull him close but Spencer wasn't actively fighting him, he was just stuck stone still.

"I remember that night. Father was beating me for something that I did that impinged on the Hotchner honor. He hadn't made me take my shirt off at first until the shreds of it were getting in his way. I didn't realize he had switched to a knife until the cut was being made. I screamed, and it actually drew Sean to the room. Father trying to console him was what allowed me to escape to the bathroom. I locked the door and didn't come out until after he had gone to work. I was late for school, but Mother drove me. The nurse tried to get me to allow her to look at my back but all I could think about was the fact that if I did that, I would be allowing the Hotchner name to be stained. It didn't matter that it would be my Father's stain but it would happen anyway, and it would be my fault. It must have come about then."

"What day?" Spencer asked. His fingers were shaking. 

"It was early in October." Aaron tilted his head to the side to look at Spencer, seeing his hands start to shake. Aaron set the camera aside and pulled on Spencer again. Spencer came a little closer. Aaron smiled at him. "I never understood why father changed to a blade, but now I understand. He saw the mark when he cut my shirt off of me. That meant that my mate was so much younger than me."

"I don't care about the mark on your back. You said you loved me. When did you fall in love with me?"

Aaron couldn't believe that Spencer was trying to push the mark off. It was important. It was important in that to Aaron he didn't care if his soulmate walked in the door at that moment and was the man or woman of his childhood dreams. Spencer was so much more than anyone else could ever be. Aaron let go of Spencer's arms and scooted away from the younger man. Spencer frowned, but Aaron didn't care. 

"What does it matter when I knew that I loved you. Spencer I am trying to get you to understand that I don't care about a mark on my skin. Just like I don't care about this mark." Aaron reached out and grabbed Spencer's arm. He wasn't gentle as he turned it to show Spencer his own mark. Spencer didn't fight him, he just stared at Aaron's face with that same damned look. "Why is it so damned important to you about when I fell in love with you, shouldn't it just be enough that I love you? I didn't want to tell you until later. It's too soon."

"Just answer the damned question, Aaron," Spencer pleaded. His eyes were softening, and Aaron could tell that he was clutching to that fact that Aaron loved him. It was the one thing that he could claim, and the mark had to be scaring him. Aaron knew that people left Spencer, it all started with his father, and his mother's own illness took her from him even though it seems that she fought tooth and nail to stay there for her son. 

"Last month, that night that I showed you all of my scars and you were kissing them," Aaron admitted. He watched as happiness blossomed all over Spencer's face and the younger man lunged forward, straddling Aaron's lap and kissing him. Spencer touched Aaron's face, softly and Aaron didn't understand until he realized that Spencer was shaking. Aaron reached up and pressed Spencer's hands into his face harder. Aaron felt a drop of warm wet hit his face and he pulled out of the kiss to see that Spencer was crying. Aaron reached up to thumb away the tears. "Don't cry."

Spencer smiled again and shook his face before he settled back and was reaching for his phone. Aaron stopped him with a hand over the phone. 

"Don't. I want to see your words. Tell me what is going on, Spencer. What is going on in that big brain of yours."

"I wasn't just kissing your scars that night, Aaron. I was mouthing words, and I mouthed a line from Les Mis on your skin when I got to the worst scar. Just like you were holding my arm, right over my soulmark that night at the play. You uttered those words so soft into my ear, and you were holding me so tight like you didn't want to let me go. I fell in love with you that night when you said the words on my arm like it was the most natural thing in the world to hold me like that. Just like it seems you fell in love with me that night as I mouthed those words into your skin to try and take away some of the pain."

Aaron looked at Spencer, seeing the utter truth of his words. However, he had talked about falling in love, but Spencer hadn't said the words.

"Say it again," Aaron demanded softly. 

Spencer looked puzzled for a few seconds before he smiled and leaned close. He framed Aaron's face with his and mouthed three simple little words. _I love you._

"I love you, too," Aaron said before he leaned in and kissed Spencer. It was a soft press of lips, a show of his emotions, soft and loving. After several minutes, Aaron pulled away before lifting up Spencer's arm and looking at the soulmark. There was the outline of silver around the words that proved that they were mates. There was no feeling of jealousy as Aaron thought about the words. He had been before. Jealous that someone else had a claim on Spencer and could take the younger man away from Aaron. There wasn't a single person that going to be able to take Spencer away from him now. 

It was late, but Aaron wasn't tired, and he could tell that Spencer wasn't either. Aaron's mind was spinning with things that he needed to do now. They needed to see a soulmate specialist and get documentation. They had two months to report the finding of their mates to the FBI. Even if someone there turned them in for a relationship, as long as the could prove they were mates, nothing could be done to them. Spencer couldn't even be taken from the unit. Someone else on the team, Aaron's only want was Dave, would have to take over being Spencer's direct supervisor. Aaron was sure that Dave would be Spencer's choice as well. Spencer knew Dave better than anyone else on the team other than Aaron of course.

Aaron's brain started to think about everything that they needed to do. Everything that they had to face and it took Aaron right to what had been done to him by his father. 

"I want to stay right here Spencer, but I need to think about some things. I need to process this, not us but the fact that I have a mark that my Father knew and hadn't told me but instead tried to destroy it."

Spencer nodded, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to the side of Aaron's face before he signed. "Take your time."

Aaron gave Spencer a weak smile before he moved over to find some sleep clothes. It was still downright cold outside, so Aaron grabbed a pair of thick socks for his feet and slipped them on before finding his heavy flannel sleep pants and a heavy long-sleeved shirt. He had a pair of house shoes that had rubber soles that he could wear to not get his feet wet in the dewy grass of the backyard. 

"Thank you," Aaron said as he left the room. He was afraid that if he turned around and looked at Spencer sitting on the bed, Aaron would give in and go back to him. Aaron needed to process because his whole life was changed in a single instance and it had to do more with what his father did to him than the fact that he had a soulmate. 

Aaron stopped at Jack's room and checked on him. He laid the back of his hand on Jack's forehead and felt for a fever. Jack felt normal to Aaron's touch, so that was a good thing. 

"I would never even think about doing anything like that to you, Jack. I can't ever think of harming you in any way. It's so sickening what my father did to me, but I can't regret a single thing that I have done because of it. Because it gave me you and it set me on the path to find Spencer. I just wish I never would have known the pain that Father inflicted on me." Aaron brushed at the hair on the nape of Jack's neck. Jack had nearly thrown a fit when Aaron and took him to get his haircut the last time. Jack hadn't wanted to go, and it had never happened before, and Jack had got his hair cut twice since Haley had died and never had an issue. It had taken nearly half an hour for Aaron to get the reason from the boy. Jack wanted longer hair like Spencer, but he hadn't wanted to tell his father that because he was afraid that Aaron would think that he liked Spencer more. Aaron had made sure to calm the boy down and get him to understand that changing his hair wasn't going to make Aaron mad and neither was cutting it short again if he didn't like it long going to upset Spencer. Aaron hadn't told Spencer about that, but Aaron knew that Spencer was questioning the length that Aaron was letting Jack's hair get to. Aaron and Jack had compromised and went with the stylist getting the dead ends off and leaving the rest of it long. 

Aaron leaned over and kissed Jack's forehead before he stood up to leave the room. He stopped at the fridge in the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before he turned off the alarm and unlocked the door. The crispness of the air took Aaron's breath from his lungs after the warmth of the house, but Aaron didn't care. He moved over to where the table was in the middle of the yard. He sat on the top of the table and looked at his house. He had made the house a home with Haley, and for a while, it had been a place he resented before the divorce, but it was home again. He had made it home again with Jack and with Jessica, and now he was adding Spencer to it. He had been adding Spencer to it for a long time, but it was only then that it was a shock at how much he hated it when Spencer wasn't there. 

The house that Aaron had grown up in hadn't crossed his mind in years. He found reasons to not go to that area, even one time going a substantial distance out of his way to interview a witness on a case in the area so that he wouldn't have to see the house at all. It was irrational, but so many fears were. Aaron would rather see the house burn down than to ever set foot inside of it again. Aaron knew that he had a lot of residual issues from his childhood, and those issues reared their ugly heads at the wrong time, but Spencer had issues from his childhood and was going to be less likely to have an issue with Aaron's issues. Haley hadn't been that way. She had taken each issue of Aaron's and had a personal affront to it. It got to where Aaron stopped bringing up anything that he had an issue with just to stop a fight from happening. 

Aaron's father was a big issue, and Aaron didn't wonder if Haley hated Aaron bringing up his father because in Haley's eyes her father was perfect but Aaron talking about the things that his did was making her face that her father wasn't perfect either. Instead of helping Aaron, she pushed until he would stop talking about it. Aaron's past was bad but so was Spencer's. There was too much horrid in both. Nothing would erase either of their pains, but together they could each heal the other up some. It wasn't going to be easy, any of it but it would be better with both of them working on it. Even before Spencer and Aaron had figured out that they were soulmates, it was going to be hard. Aaron didn't care what his family said, he hadn't since the day that he had left home at the end of High School and he hadn't looked back. Even Sean didn't matter. 

Too many years, Aaron had kept up the stories that Mother had told Sean about their Father. The happy stories of the perfect family that they were. Sean had eaten them up, and Aaron loved his brother, so he kept up the stories. Of course, he really hadn't seen Sean in years, but Aaron knew that if he poked a little at Sean's modified memories of childhood, the truth would will out, but he would lose his brother. 

The light in the kitchen turned on, and Aaron looked up at Spencer. He could see him moving around the kitchen from the angle that he was at. He watched his lover move to the sink and fill up a cup before going to the water filter pitcher and pouring some of it into the water kettle. Aaron watched him as he set out two cups before going to the cabinet that Aaron had his tea in. Aaron had three shelves of tea the top shelf was the black teas, the second was the green and white, and the final was the herbal teas. Spencer chose one of the herbal teas, Aaron couldn't tell which kind. 

It wasn't until Spencer crossed the back door that Aaron saw that he was wearing one of Aaron's T-shirts. Aaron's chest tightened at seeing Spencer feeling comfortable enough to wear one of Aaron's shirt without asking. Spencer moved about the room, and Aaron realized that he was cleaning up some of the dishes that Aaron had done. He also checked on his phone a lot and given the time of night that it was, that was the most telling. Spencer was talking to someone. Aaron wasn't sure how he felt about that. Spencer telling someone without asking him. 

Aaron kept watching Spencer as he moved into the living room and came back out with a notebook. Spencer sat at the table and worked at the notebook for a few minutes before he got up and went back to where the tea mugs were. Spencer worked there for a few minutes before he came back over with a mug in his hand. Spencer tapped at his phone for a moment or two before he went back to the notebook. 

There was something so right about seeing Spencer there, but Aaron knew that it wasn't really time to ask Spencer to move in with him. There was a lot to do before then but soon. Aaron wanted them all to be under the same roof. 

Jack would enjoy it, having a pet. Curiosity and Jack already loved each other. Spencer pouted because when either Jack or Aaron was around his cat forgot about him. Aaron was pretty sure that it would calm down when Curiosity got used to living with them. Aaron was already thinking about how he could move things around in his office and make the space so that Spencer would feel fine working in there either while he was in there or on his own. It was changes that Aaron could make before Spencer moved in. 

Aaron was startled when he realized that Spencer never once looked at him. Spencer had to know that he was out there but he wasn't curious at all which was different than what he was like usually. Aaron had to admit that the cat was a perfect companion for Spencer. Aaron was not looking forward to the day that Curiosity died of old age because Spencer was going to be heartbroken. 

Shivering, Aaron looked away from Spencer and up into the clear night sky. It was the perfect temperature for keeping the atmosphere clear of clouds. The stars were beautiful. When the cold got to be too much, Aaron slipped down from the table top onto his feet and looked into the kitchen. Spencer wasn't at the table, he was at the water kettle again. 

Aaron opened the kitchen door, but Spencer didn't react. Aaron walked to behind him and wrapped his arms around Spencer's stomach. Spencer shivered and gasped.

"Cold?"

Spencer nodded, but he didn't try and get away from Aaron. He set about making himself a second cup of tea and even filled up the second cup so that Aaron could have some. The kitchen smelled floral, and Aaron could make out at least chamomile and lavender. It was a relaxing blend. They both did need that. 

"Thank you for the tea. What are you working on?"

Spencer turned around after he set his tea down. "A lesson plan for the next lecture I am doing with Alex."

Aaron smiled because that meant that he hadn't been texting but instead had been accessing information on his phone. Aaron leaned in again to kiss Spencer. Aaron trapped Spencer against the counter as Spencer wrapped his hands around Aaron's waist to pull him in. This was helping to calm Aaron. Spencer had never pressured him, and Aaron figured that he never will. 

* * *

Spencer waited to see what kind of kiss Aaron wanted this to turn into. Even with the tea in him, Spencer was pretty weird and wouldn't say no to trying to wear each other out before getting some sleep. Aaron was the one with the big emotional weight sitting on him. 

It was horrible, what Aaron's father had done to him, to his soulmark to try and get rid of it. Aaron had gone so long without even the hope of finding someone that would be perfect for him. Spencer parted his lips when he felt Aaron's tongue brush them and was rewarded with Aaron's body pressing closer. Aaron grabbed Spencer's hips and lifted him up onto the counter. Spencer gasped as he felt the mugs slide back away from him and then one tipped over. 

Spencer tried to push Aaron away, but the man just held onto Spencer's hips and stayed right there. The wetness seeped into Spencer's sleep pants, but it thankfully wasn't hot enough to burn, just really warm. Aaron's kiss turned deeper, and Spencer just held on for the ride, wrapping his arms around Aaron's neck. 

Aaron pulled back, and it took a minute for Spencer to realize that the man was staring at him. Spencer opened his eyes to see that Aaron really was just staring at him. Spencer unwound his hands from Aaron's neck, but when he raised them up to start talking, Aaron just grabbed them and held them. Spencer wasn't sure what Aaron wanted by sitting without the ability to talk was making Spencer upset. 

Spencer opened his mouth to start to just mouth a word at Aaron, but Aaron spread Spencer's hands out to his sides and leaned in for a chaste kiss. 

"Tell me again," Aaron said. 

Spencer crinkled his nose in confusion and tugged on his hands. He had no clue what Aaron wanted from him. Aaron didn't let go of Spencer's hands. Spencer felt his breathing deepen and knew that he was close to freaking out. He had never freaked out when it came to Aaron and how Aaron treated him. Spencer tugged on his hands harder, but Aaron didn't let go. 

_Please_ , Spencer mouthed at Aaron. Aaron let go of Spencer's hands, but he stepped up so that Spencer could not sign at him. 

"Say it again," Aaron said as he reached up and traced his thumb over Spencer's bottom lip. Spencer swallowed as he realized what Aaron wanted and why Aaron had been holding his hands. Spencer calmed down some, but his heart was still racing. 

_I love you, Aaron Hotchner,_ Spencer mouthed. 

_I love you, Spencer Reid_ , Aaron mouthed back at him. Aaron smiled at Spencer, and he could see that Aaron was calmer than he had been, giving him the time alone had been the best option, and Spencer had known that. However, Seeing how calm Aaron was relaxed Spencer in a way that he hadn't realized he was tense. "I'm sorry I scared you. It wasn't until I felt you start to shake that I realized that I was scaring you with not letting go of your hands. I won't ever harm you that way, Spencer."

Aaron wrapped a hand around Spencer's elbow and lifted up his arm until Spencer's hand was in front of his face. Aaron trailed his fingers up Spencer's arm until he wrapped his hand around the back of Spencer's hand. Aaron held it up to his face and kissed the pad of each finger just under the finger. Next, he kissed the tips of each finger before placing a final kiss on Spencer's palm. Aaron repeated it with Spencer's other hand. Spencer felt tears trailing down his cheeks, and when Aaron looked up at Spencer's face, his eyes widened. Aaron cupped Spencer's cheeks and thumbed away the tears only to laugh as more came down. Aaron kissed away the next set of tears and Spencer couldn't help but laugh. It only made more tears come down. 

No one had ever paid attention like that to Spencer's hands. No one had ever really understood Spencer's aversion to things that could hurt his hands. 

"Let's go upstairs and get you changed out of your wet pants, and we can try and get some sleep," Aaron whispered as he pulled back, the tears making Aaron's lips look shiny. 

"Oh," Jessica said as she crested the steps. She blushed and looked away from them. 

"Jessica, you can look we are both dressed and decent. Spencer?" Aaron asked.

Spencer looked at Aaron, a questioning look on his face. Aaron wrapped a hand around Spencer's arm, around his mark and Spencer understood. Spencer nodded.

"Jessie, why don't you and I go and talk in the living room while Spencer changes. We spilled tea on the counter, and he's kind of sitting in it."

"I came up to get something to snack on so I'm going to do that while Spencer changes and then we can all talk."

As soon as Aaron stepped back to allow Spencer to slide off the counter, he did and escaped to the living room and up the stairs. Aaron didn't follow. Spencer had only brought over a single pair of pants to wear to sleep so he raided where Aaron kept his sleep pants and found a pair that he wouldn't mind wearing. Spencer's hips were a lot slimmer, so Spencer unknotted the tie and retired it a lot tighter. When Spencer turned around to head back out, he found Aaron right there. 

"If you don't want to tell her we don't have to, Spencer. We don't have to tell anyone until we are ready."

"I want to tell her. She's your family, and it will be better to tell and to tell Jack now."

"Okay then. She's making us some fresh tea as well. Both cups were spilled. I was going to clean it up, but she chased me out of there, that she couldn't think with my hovering. There is no pressure in this Spencer. We are both very independent, and I'm not going to change anything with your life. I love you, and I will take what you can give me."

Spencer nodded. He didn't know anything to say to that. Spencer had never had a relationship that lasted long, and while he had longer than the time that he and Aaron had been together, the word Love had never been dropped, and this was something so different. Spencer knew that the relationship was going to be work that being soulmates wasn't going to just make everything go smooth. There was also the fact that this also meant that Spencer was going to become a parental figure for Jack. That was even scarier than anything else. 

Except the team. Spencer was so new to the team, and while everyone like him, he didn't know the stress this would put on them. Spencer didn't want to leave the team, and really no one could make him, not given the laws that were current in the USA. Aaron wasn't going to leave he, team, either, Spencer knew that. Spencer would never want him to. There was too much to think about. Too much to do and there was nothing that could be done because it was the middle of the night. 

"Hey, where'd you go?" Aaron asked.

"Just thinking deep thoughts," Spencer said. 

"It's too late for deep thoughts."

Spencer smiled before he leaned in for a kiss. Aaron gave it over willingly. 

Jessica was waiting for them in the living room. She was seated in the chair with her feet tucked up and a plate of cheese resting on the arm. There were two fresh mugs of the same tea that Spencer had made for him and Aaron. Spencer was sure that it wasn't going to help him sleep as he could be thinking of too many things. 

"So what have you two up at this time of night and it not be contained in the bedroom?"

Spencer looked at Aaron, seeing the man staring at the wall. 

"What did Haley tell you about my soulmate?"

"That you didn't have one. Near the end of the marriage, she commented that the reason the universe didn't give you a soulmate was the FBI and more importantly the BAU was your soulmate."

"Well other than the BAU being my soulmate, Haley was correct. I did not think that I Had a soulmate. When I was twelve, I stopped looking for the mark on my body, and it never came up in conversation."

"Haley also told me that you never ever let her see your back and I realized not long after moving in that you never went shirtless outside of your room. Even that one time that Jack was having a nightmare, you ran out of your room pulling on a shirt. I never asked because she said that she never did. I assumed that it had to do with your father."

"You assume correctly. My father was a bastard because I didn't have a soulmark. Just before my sixteenth birthday, it appeared, and I didn't know."

"How could you not know?"

"It's on my back just above my shoulder blades. I had done something to upset Father, and he was taking the belt to my back. I assume that he saw the mark and knew that it meant that my soulmate was just about sixteen years younger than me, so he tried to destroy it."

"Haley never talked about Jack's other grandparents. I asked her once, and she said it was best to never bring it up. I did a search for your parents, and even to my eyes, I knew that it was too perfect. For you to never mention them, there had to be a lot going on." 

"Well, that's for a night when I'm too drunk to keep my mouth shut."

"Sixteen years, that's a pretty big gap. How does one go about finding their soulmate who is sixteen years younger?" Jessica grabbed a bit of cheese and popped it into her mouth. 

"I guess one has to have a son who is a traumatic Mute and be glad that the first person said son attaches himself to that is not family is said soulmate."

Spencer watched Jessica's face as she processed what Aaron said. She nearly choked on the cheese she was chewing.

"You are serious?" Jessica looked at Aaron and Spencer several times. "Completely serious?"

"Yes," Aaron said. He sat down on the couch and pulled Spencer down to sit beside him. Spencer nodded his head as he sat down. Jessica jumped up off the couch and ran over to hug Spencer first and then Aaron. She stood up and looked at the both of them for a few seconds before she wrapped her arms around Spencer again in a stronger hug.

"Jack saw Spencer's soulmark. That got him asking about his own and what they meant. I told him because you said that if he ever asked about them, I should answer. He was worried that Spencer was going to leave the two of you. I told him that it didn't work that way. Spencer might never find his soulmate."

"Jack has a mark?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, it appeared about a year ago. Haley was unsure of the actual appearance. I didn't notice it because for a little while due to work, I didn't have him overnight but just for nightly visits and he always went home to her."

"A year? Isn't that when Henry was born?"

Aaron looked at Spencer like he was speaking another language. He cocked his head to the side and was reaching for his phone.

"Aaron, it's the middle of the night. You are not calling, JJ." Jessica acted like she was going to slap the phone from Aaron's hands.

"Henry has a mark. It's on his inner arm like mine, and it says: Henry LaMontagne, you are the prettiest boy I have ever seen, other than Papa." Spencer remembered when JJ had seen his mark and commented on it. 

"Jack's says: I don't ever want to upset you, Jack. It's stretched across his ribs on his left side, just under his heart."

"Jack likes to rub his fingers over it. He says that he can't wait to meet him."

"Him?" Spencer asked.

"Jack is sure that it's a boy," Aaron murmured. 

"He told Haley this just before going into WitSec. Little Henry does like to play with Jack. What are the odds?" Jessica asked as she turned her head from Aaron to Spencer. 

"Many soulmates are best friends growing up. The actual data for male-male soulmate relationships is small because not many do any of the scientific surveys and the only thing that doctors are allowed to report is what the rest of soulmates are to the national registry. There are still taboos. Especially from religious sects that uphold that their God created the marks and that same-sex or polyamorous couples are perverting them for their own gain."

"Same-sex or what couples?" Jessica asked.

"Threesomes or more. There are five documented threesomes on record. A has the words B said to make A fall in love. B has the words C said to make B fall in love. And C has the words A said to make them fall in love. Spencer actually showed me the research on it. One of the polys is documenting everything." 

Spencer yawned before he settled himself down onto the couch more. Aaron still smelled a little bit like sex, and it and the warmth of Aaron's arm around him had Spencer closing his eyes. A wave of lethargy came over him and yawned again before trying to focus on Arno's words, but they were muffled and far away. Spencer inhaled deeply and went to sleep. 

* * *

Spencer woke up, and for a few seconds, he wasn't sure where he was. He remembered falling asleep on Aaron on the couch, and he didn't remember going up to the bedroom, but that was where he was. Spencer looked around and realized that he had been asleep on his back. 

Movement alerted him that he wasn't alone in bed and Spencer looked down to see Jack cuddle into his side with his head pillowed on Spencer's arm. Aaron was not in bed. Spencer frowned because he didn't like waking up without Aaron in bed. That thought stopped him because it wasn't like they had shared a lot of beds recently, or at all really. 

Spencer heard the creak of the top step and hoped that it was Aaron coming back to bed. The bedroom door slowly opened, and Spencer was greeted with the sight of Aaron carrying a tray of food. The smell of bacon and coffee wafted in front of Aaron and Spencer smiled at him. 

"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. We were both so dead asleep we didn't wake up when Jack crawled into bed. So I decided that food was in order. I made bacon, oatmeal, and coffee. Orange juice as well but you don't have to drink it. Jack likes it with his oatmeal." 

Spencer wormed his arm out from under Jack and slid up to an upright position. Jack wrapped his arm around Spencer's leg and fought waking up. Aaron laid the tray of food along Spencer's other side before he crawled into bed as well. Spencer reached out and snagged two pieces of bacon. There were two cups of coffee on the tray and two glasses of orange juice. Spencer frowned and wondered if Aaron was going to go without.

"There wasn't enough room on the tray for another glass so I thought that if you wanted some, you could drink out of mine. I don't want to drink after Jack, just in case but after last night if I have it, you are going to get it." Aaron leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to Spencer's lips as he was chewing. Spencer ducked his head away and covered his mouth. He could feel his cheeks starting to heat up. He reached out with his hand that still held a half a piece of bacon and pushed Aaron back. Aaron didn't go though. He pressed in farther and kissed the back of Spencer's hand. 

Spencer reached out for his phone and typed out what he wanted to say. " _Stop._ "

"You don't want to be kissed?" Aaron asked with a smile on his face.

" _Not while I have food in my mouth._ "

"I wasn't trying to French kiss you but if you keep blushing like that I will."

" _Did you know that the French kiss started being called that when British and American soldiers returned home after World War I. It was also called the Florentine kiss. Soldiers came home and greeted their wives in the sexually adventurous way that the French did._ " Spencer finished chewing the bacon in his mouth while he typed out what he was saying. 

"Are you trying to distract me, Spencer?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer shook his head no.

"I've learned that you go into a ramble when you are trying to distract Morgan from whatever he has asked you. You're blushing harder. So Spencer are you trying to distract me?" Aaron leaned in more, pressing his lips to Spencer's before he could answer. Spencer opened his mouth and pushed back at Aaron some, but the man darted his tongue out and dragged the tip across the top of Spencer's mouth. Spencer tried to pull out of the weird kiss, but Aaron's hands on his face stopped him. Aaron turned it into a proper French kiss. 

Spencer tried to ignore Jack who was still clinging to his leg, but when Jack started to really rub his face on Spencer's leg, Spencer began to actually push at Aaron and mean it. The older man got it because he pulled back and looked down at Jack. 

"Good morning, buddy."

Jack just smiled at Aaron before he slipped down under the covers and pressed his face into the side of Spencer's leg. 

"Let him be. He'll wake up when he wants, and he can eat them." 

Spencer nodded his head and reached for the bowl of oatmeal. There was a little brown sugar that had melted on top as well as what looked like melted butter. Spencer kept his face impassive, but he had never eaten oatmeal with butter in it. He hoped he would be able to stomach it. Breakfast in bed was something very sweet and very romantic, and Spencer didn't want to upset Aaron with not liking what he made. Spencer mixed it all up until he really couldn't tell there was butter in it and scooped up a spoonful. Spencer didn't realize until he had put the spoon in his mouth that Aaron was looking at him. 

The blush started up again, and Spencer ducked his head down. He knew that he needed to get used to Aaron staring at him, the man was doing it enough that Spencer was sure that it was going to be a habit. Spencer pulled the spoon free and swallowed the oatmeal without even really tasting it. 

"I didn't realize until just now that you might not like butter in your oatmeal. It's the way that mom made it when I was young, and it wasn't until Haley that I realized that not everyone ate it that way. Jack's never known different, but I can go make more for you if you don't like it."

Spencer looked at his phone for a few seconds before he set down his spoon. "I didn't hate it, but I kind of swallowed that first bite without tasting it. I can eat it, and you don't need to make more."

"But I want you to enjoy breakfast."

"The only way I won't enjoy it is if you are downstairs cooking while your food is getting cold. Now eat, Aaron."

Aaron leaned into kiss Spencer's cheek. "Okay."


	16. April 2010

Aaron heard the knock on the front door, but he didn't get to answer it. He waited to listen for Jack's steps, but the young boy didn't get up. Jack was on the floor playing with the car set that Spencer had bought him the weekend before, Spencer hadn't got to do more than set it up for Jack before the call had come in about the case. Aaron had found a place for it in the living room so that the play city could stay up. Aaron liked having things of Jack's scattered around, as long as the items weren't underfoot. Aaron had his bookshelf in the living room, and at some point, something would be added that was Spencer's. Jessica had a monstrosity of a chair that Spencer used more than her. It was large and fluffy, and Aaron admitted that it was comfortable to sit in. 

The knock sounded again, a little louder but Aaron didn't move other than to look down at his book again. Jack looked up at Aaron before looking back down at his cars. Spencer would give up and come inside. Aaron had given him a key to the house and the codes to the alarm and the gun safes in both the living room and the bedroom. There was silence for just over three minutes before Aaron heard the key in the lock and the creak of the door opening. 

Spencer peeked around the corner and smiled at Aaron before waving. He looked around for Jack and waved at him when the boy waved at him. Aaron stood up as Spencer turned to head into the kitchen. Aaron wondered what Spencer was doing as he set down a box on the table. Spencer reached into the box and pulled out the basin of a crock pot and moved to the counter. 

Aaron leaned into the door jamb and watched as Spencer swapped his basin for the one that was already in Aaron's crock pot. Spencer pulled out a thermometer from the drawer by the stove and stuck it into the pot. Spencer was either oblivious to Aaron watching him, or he knew and didn't care. Aaron smiled at Spencer feeling at home at least in Aaron's kitchen. He knew that Spencer would chastise Aaron for not letting him into the house, but Aaron wanted him to feel comfortable just coming and going as he wanted, if he hadn't he would have never given a set of keys and the alarm code. Spencer hadn't shared the key to his place, but Aaron wasn't worried. Aaron had lived with Haley long before he had married her, it might have been a scandal to Aaron's mother, but Aaron hadn't cared. 

Spencer went back to the box, never looking up at Aaron, his focus solely centered on whatever food he had started to cook at his place that smelled so wonderful. Spencer had a handful of various bottles and canisters of liquid and powdered spices in his hand. He set them all out on the counter and started to pour and shake some into the basin. 

Aaron was intrigued and stepped into the kitchen. He looked down into the box and saw that there was a lot of kitchen things in there, all things that Aaron didn't have as far as spices went. Aaron picked up each and read the names. He could tell that most were Pacific in origin, but it was things that Aaron had heard of. He set them back down and moved over to wrap his arms around Spencer. Spencer didn't jump at the shock of someone touching him. Just like that night when Aaron had found out that Spencer was his soulmate, Spencer had known where Aaron was and chose not to look up at him to check on him. 

"This smells awesome. What kind of soup is it?"

"It's a secret until you and Jack try it," Spencer signed after setting down a bottle of what looked like really hot sauce. Aaron reached out and picked up the bottle, Spencer hadn't put the lid on it yet, so Aaron let a drop fall on his finger. Spencer turned his head as Aaron lifted that finger up to his mouth. Aaron felt the burn of the spices on his tongue but it wasn't the hottest thing that he had ever stuck in his mouth, it was pretty close. 

"I hope you didn't put a lot of that in there." Aaron was worried about Jack. 

Spencer turned around and crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Aaron. Aaron ducked his head a little bit and smiled.

"Okay, that was unfair. I'm sorry. I forget that you don't like spicy things either. I am assuming that you put a little bit in for the spices inside of it?"

Spencer nodded and turned back around. Aaron pulled him close again and hooked his head over Spencer's shoulder to look at the spices that were already out. The ones that he had out were very mild but also with a very Hispanic lean. Aaron tried to figure out the soup but he couldn't. 

"How long until it's ready?"

"An hour. We have time to start the movie and can watch it while we eat if you don't want to eat at the table."

"Where do you want to eat?" Aaron knew that Spencer preferred to eat at the table but would sit in the living room if Aaron and Jack really wanted it. Aaron wondered if it was because it was something that Spencer liked or it was something that his mother instilled in him. It was an odd trait for a man who spent the majority of his life without a partner, lover, or significant other of any kind. 

Spencer looked away from Aaron before he turned back to the soup to give it a good stir before he put the lid on it. Aaron boxed him in. Spencer would slip away from a problem and wait for Aaron to make the decision if Aaron let him and right now, Aaron wanted Spencer's thoughts on what he wanted, not what he thought Aaron wanted. 

Aaron could feel Spencer shaking a little, but he didn't back up. Instead, Aaron wrapped an arm around Spencer's waist. When Spencer settled down some, Aaron wrapped his other arm around him. Spencer reached up and grabbed hold of Aaron's arms, pushing them up to where they were wrapped around Spencer's upper chest. 

"How about this? We can do breakfast at the table in the kitchen, it's a little small for four on the mornings that Jessica eats with us, but we can do it. Lunch we can eat in the living room on plates and things unless it's something messy. Dinner, we can eat dinner in the dining room like you like. Does that sound like a fair trade-off?"

Spencer nodded. 

"Changes will have to be made as we go along. Adding you to the family was going to change us no matter what. If it's something that you want, Spencer, you have to tell me. I want to make this work, not just because we are mates but because I love you. We can't make this work if you don't speak up. We are building a family, and we have been for a long time."

Spencer turned around in Aaron's arms, wrapping his arms around Aaron's neck. Spencer pulled his face down a little before he leaned up and kissed him. Aaron wanted to talk, so he started to push Spencer away until he realized what this was. Spencer had no words for what he was feeling, but he could tell Aaron about his feelings and emotions with his mouth in a different way. Aaron unwrapped his arms from around Spencer and slipped them up to cup Spencer's cheeks. Aaron crushed their mouths together even harder. Spencer didn't pull out of the kiss at all, he took everything that Aaron gave him. 

Aaron only stopped when he felt himself start to harden, he did not need Jack coming into them making out like this. Aaron hated pulling out of the kiss though. He did it though. He pulled back and waited for Spencer to open his eyes. Those eyes were so happy. Spencer looked so happy, happier than he had looked in a long time, even the night that they said they loved each other. Aaron was sure that he looked happier too. They were going to get happier as the days went by. There would be rough patches, Aaron knew that but nothing that couldn't be handled if they talked.

Dinner passed in a whirlwind for Aaron. The chicken tortilla soup that Spencer made was wonderful, and it was one of the first things that Jack had ever asked for more of when it came to the soup. After dinner was finishing the movie that the three of them had started before dinner was ready. Jack fell asleep in Spencer's lap in the fluffy chair, so Aaron carried him up and into his bedroom. 

The nightly routine was much changed with Aaron not sitting on Jack's bed to read to him anymore, no that spot was Spencer's. Aaron now sat in a chair that was a permanent part of the bedroom now since Aaron needed somewhere to sit. Spencer and Jack cuddled on the bed while Aaron read. The sight of the two cuddled like that still took Aaron's breath away. 

Spencer stayed in Jack's room, turning on the overhead fan to circulate the air in the room and shutting the door most of the way. Aaron took advantage and made his way down to the living room quickly. Aaron turned the TV and DVD player off before lowering the lights down to where it was basically mood lighting. Aaron sat down in the fluffy chair and waited for Spencer to come down the stairs. Jessica was staying over at a friend's for a night of chick flicks and wine. Aaron hadn't asked about it past that and that she was going to have fun. 

The sound of footsteps on the last few stairs told Aaron that Spencer was finally done with making sure that Jack was okay in his bedroom. Spencer's footsteps slowed, and Aaron could only make out the shape of him as he moved slowly over to where Aaron was. It was just dark enough to where Aaron couldn't see Spencer's hands reliably enough to be able to read them, so Aaron wasn't shocked, or upset when he heard the haptic feedback from Spencer's phone.

" _What's this_?" Spencer asked. 

"I don't feel like watching anything, and I figured if we are going to do silence, let's at least do something a little more active than read."

" _So what are we going to do in the dark_?" Spencer started to move, sway more like, but Aaron laughed as he reached over the pulled Spencer into his lap. " _Not dance_?"

"No, not dance." Aaron plucked the phone from Spencer's hand and set it down on the stand beside the chair. Spencer didn't fight him, and instead, when he turned to looked Spencer, Spencer was right there taking Aaron's lips in a kiss. Aaron knew that he wanted to do this for hours until their lips were chapped and the thought of kiss was the opposite of arousing. He wanted to touch and to taste Spencer's mouth until he could dream about that taste in his sleep. 

After several minutes, Spencer pulled out of the kiss but not to stop it, just to change position to where he was straddling Aaron's lap. Aaron's hands weren't idle, he worked Spencer's shirt from his pants as he leaned in to kiss Spencer's neck. The first time that Aaron suckled a little on the skin, Spencer shivered, and all movement stopped. Aaron smiled into the skin before doing it again. Aaron had found out the extent of the erogenous zone on Spencer weeks before. 

Aaron kept it up, moving just enough so that no spot would start to hurt nor would he leave a mark. Spencer's hands weren't idle, pulling at Aaron's shirt until Aaron leaned back so that Spencer could remove it from him. While Spencer was wearing a button up, Aaron was in a T-Shirt. 

Taking pity on Spencer, Aaron grabbed his hips and pulled Spencer down, taking his mouth in a kiss again. He kept a hold of the genius's hips though, stopping the younger man from rocking into him. Aaron had a plan, and it didn't involve Spencer rubbing them to completion. Spencer's hands wandered all over Aaron, touching everything but always straying to Aaron's mark. Aaron couldn't take it and after a few more minutes of hold Spencer still, Aaron let go of one hip and grabbed hold of Spencer by his arm, his own hand covering the mark. 

Spencer jerked away from Aaron's face, gulping in a breath as he stared at Aaron. Aaron let go of Spencer's other hip and trailed his fingers up his chest, nails scraping just so and making Spencer shiver even more. Spencer's mouth might not make as many noises as other people, but his body spoke for him. Up and around to grab the back of Spencer's head Aaron's hand went. Spencer gasped as Aaron held his head still. 

"I want you to come from this and this alone, don't touch your cock, Spencer."

Aaron waited for an answer. Spencer just stared for several seconds before he swallowed and opened his mouth to pant. There was a slight pull on Aaron's hand, a nod. Aaron ducked his head to lick from the base of Spencer's throat up to his chin before he sucked at Spencer's pulse point. Spencer moved back on Aaron's lap just a little, enough to where he could undulate and not press his cock into Aaron. Spencer's hands left Aaron's body, and Aaron felt the cushion of the chair move. Aaron could just see him grabbing the cushions and making his knuckles white from the want to thrust into Aaron. 

In no time at all, Spencer's body near convulsed, his head pressed back into Aaron's hand and his hips sought out Aaron's. Aaron heard that sound that he wanted, that little moan like the sound that Aaron was addicted to. 

"Fuck, that was hot. I hoped I could get you off like that." Aaron trailed kisses up Spencer's neck, soft just barely there touches of lips on skin. Spencer tilted his head so that they could kiss. "I want to do everything with you, Spencer. For the rest of our lives." 

_I love you,_ Spencer mouthed and Aaron took it for a yes, that Spencer wanted that as well. 

"With my job, our jobs," Aaron started. He inhaled deeply and waited for Spencer's eyes to settle on his face. Spencer reached out and traced Aaron's lips with his thumb. Aaron nipped at the tip of the thumb before he exhaled. "With our jobs, we see the worst when it comes to human sexuality and brutality. It puts a damper on trying new things. I asked Haley once to do something, and she freaked out. Called me a pervert."

There was just enough light that Aaron could see Spencer's fingers as they said his name. Aaron smiled up at him before Aaron cupped Spencer's cheeks to pull him into a kiss. Spencer allowed it for a moment before he pulled out of the kiss and mimed talking with his hand. 

"You know well that I fall asleep after orgasm. With Haley, it was going to be a little harder but with you...I think that it wouldn't be as bad." 

It took a few seconds for Aaron's not really telling it for Spencer to understand what he wanted. Aaron watched Spencer think about it. Spencer though made a motion for Aaron to continue. Spencer was going to make him say it. 

"I want you to have sex with me while I am asleep," Aaron said it, and he couldn't take it back. It had been at the back of his mind since the last time they had sex because Aaron had almost passed out before Spencer had got off inside of him. Aaron had buried that part deep inside that had wanted it after Haley's rejection. Spencer shifted and reached for his phone. 

" _What do you mean by sex? Do you want me to do intercrural, anal, or something else? I won't do oral. Just explain it out. I won't get upset, I won't make fun of you._ " 

"Anal. I want you to suck me off before you finger me while I fall asleep and then have sex with me until you get off."

Spencer leaned back and stared at Aaron. Aaron wasn't sure what the stare was about, but instead of feeling disgusted or ashamed, Aaron just felt open to Spencer. He felt like Spencer was trying to understand him in a way that he never had before. Aaron knew that he was asking a lot. It was a kink that wasn't exactly normal, even in the realm of kinky sex.

" _If you freak out afterward, I am never, ever doing this again,_ " Spencer's phone said. Spencer set the phone down, but it started to speak again. " _No matter how much you beg._ "

Aaron swallowed before he nodded his agreement with that. Aaron hoped that he didn't, he didn't want Spencer to feel like he had done something to Aaron that Aaron didn't want. He did not think that he would, but Aaron could make sure that Spencer never knew how Aaron felt if it was something that he didn't like. 

"I don't want to have you on your knees in here, just in case. Jack at least knocks on the bedroom door." Aaron leaned in to kiss Spencer, and he laughed at a little at the eyebrow that told Aaron that Spencer wasn't ever going to get on his knees in the living room at the moment at least. 

Spencer slipped back off of Aaron's lap, and the look on his face said that he didn't like the feel of his release in his pants. Spencer held out his hand, and Aaron took it and allowed Spencer to almost pull him up. Aaron out his own legs behind it. The walk to the bedroom was silent, Aaron lost in his own thoughts. He debated stopping it, but he did want to know. 

* * *

Spencer only let go of Aaron's hand once they were in the bedroom. Spencer stepped toward the hamper and started to strip, he wanted out of his clothes as soon as possible. The sticky feeling of his underwear was a relief to get off. Aaron was standing still in the bedroom so when Spencer was naked, he turned to look at his lover. Aaron was just watching him strip naked. Spencer grinned at Aaron and stalked toward him. He worked on Aaron's pants first, finding that Aaron had gone commando in his jeans. 

Aaron's cock was hard and leaking, so Spencer reached out and rubbed his thumb over the slit, collections the fluid there. Spencer raised his thumb and licked at the drop, watching Aaron's eyes the entire time. As the slightly bitter taste washed over his tongue, Spencer closed his eyes. He wanted to hum, to make that sound like Aaron would make while pressed against Spencer's body. Spencer settled for that moan that Aaron liked a lot. Spencer licked his hand to get it a little wet before he wrapped it around Aaron's cock. He could see that even though Aaron wanted sex, he was unsure of his own reaction. 

Spencer slowly lowered himself down to his knees as he jacked Aaron's cock. Aaron reached down grabbed the hem of his shirt and ripped it up and over his head. Aaron watched Spencer as he leaned in, their eyes locked. Spencer licked the head of Aaron's cock before he took it all the way in. Aaron's hips jerked, and Spencer followed the movement so that Aaron wouldn't gag him. 

"Sorry. Fuck, so sorry," Aaron muttered as he closed his eyes and tipped his head back in pleasure. Spencer didn't need to worry about using his hand to help him stimulate all of Aaron's cock. Spencer's mouth was big enough to take all of the cock. Spencer kept up a steady rhythm of up and down on the cock only slowing when he felt Aaron starting to tremble a little bit. Aaron's hands were flexing, just at the edge of Spencer' sight, so Spencer grabbed them and laid them on his head. Aaron's fingers slipped into his hair and moved with Spencer as his rhythm faltered at the feel of the fingers in his hair. 

Spencer worked Aaron's pants down his legs to pool at his feet as he worked Aaron's cock. Spencer knew that he was going to have to do this more, and it wasn't because like this Aaron didn't expect words but because Spencer wanted Aaron's cock in his mouth more. 

"Spencer, I need...fuck. Spencer, please." Aaron couldn't talk, couldn't think it seemed, so Spencer pulled off of his cock and looked up at Aaron. Aaron tilted his head back down to where he could look at Spencer. "I need to sit down."

Aaron stepped backward, stepping out of his pants and kicking them out of the way. Spencer watched him walk almost like a newborn foal. Aaron fell on the bed more than sat on it and Spencer gave him a wicked grin. 

"What are you-" Aaron cut himself off as Spencer leaned over and stalked toward Aaron on hands and knees. Spencer ducked his head down and bit at Aaron's calf. Aaron's legs dropped open, and Spencer nosed up against the inside of Aaron's thigh before he purposely skirted his hard cock. Over to the other thigh, Spencer went, and he bit a little harder there. Aaron dropped a hand onto Spencer's head and tried to direct him back to Aaron's cock, but Spencer fought it. Licking back to Aaron's hip, Spencer went up, dipping his tongue into Aaron's navel before allowing his body to brush Aaron's cock. 

Aaron didn't let Spencer fight out of the persistent pressure on Spencer's head, but he wasn't directing Spencer down. He was directing Spencer up to kiss him. Spencer allowed Aaron a few seconds of dominance before he took over the kiss. Aaron moaned, long and hard, into Spencer's mouth. 

"Spencer, please."

Spencer pushed Aaron until he was laying back on the bed. Spencer kissed down Aaron's chest, what he could reach of it before he finally took pity on Aaron and took the head of his cock back into his mouth. Spencer bathed the entire head with his tongue. Spencer glanced up at Aaron, seeing him gripping the bed sheets hard. Spencer grabbed Aaron's thighs and pulled him down on the bed. 

Aaron's entire body shuddered as Spencer wet his thumb and pressed it over Aaron's hole. 

"Again," Aaron demanded, his voice ragged. 

Spencer complied, switching fingers so that the finger with the shorter nail was pressing just slightly inside of Aaron as Spencer pulled back to suck on the head of Aaron's cock. 

"Spence," Aaron said before Spencer felt the swelling of Aaron's cock. Spencer went down farther on Aaron's cock and allowed the first spurt to hit the back of his throat before he started to swallow. Spencer looked up at Aaron again as the older man came in his mouth. Spencer kept softly suckling until Aaron's hand flopped down and pulled at Spencer's hair to get him to come up. Spencer let go of Aaron's cock, letting it fall down, soft against his hip before he pressed a kiss to the base of it. 

That was the first time that Aaron had ever called Spencer that. Some of the girls in high school had done it, Spencer had never figured out if it was mocking or not but with Aaron he knew that it wasn't. It was a name that was Aaron's. Spencer kissed up Aaron's chest as the man pulled on his hair. Spencer finally straddled Aaron's waist and leaned down to kiss him. Aaron was already having trouble keeping his eyes open. Spencer had learned over time that the stronger the orgasm, the quicker Aaron went to sleep. 

"I love you so much," Aaron said. 

"Shush," Spencer said as he reached over for the lube in the drawer. He found it and coated three of his fingers. He planned to play. "How do you want to do this?" 

"Front?" Aaron asked and then tried to roll over. Spencer lifted himself up, and Aaron was able to fully roll onto his front. The amount of trust that took, for Aaron to want to be that vulnerable while asleep almost made Spencer want to cry. Spencer leaned up and pressed a kiss to the back of Aaron's neck.

"So sexy like this." Spencer settled in at Aaron's side, scooted down enough to where he could access his lover's ass. Aaron hummed at Spencer a delayed reaction to his words. Spencer bent his finger to where he could rub a knuckle up and down Aaron's crack, not wanting to startle the man. Aaron shifted a little, slipping his arms under the pillow in the middle of the bed and laid his head down on top of it. Spencer watched his face as he uncurled his finger and slipped the first finger inside of him. Aaron's face didn't change at all. 

Aaron was responsive, his muscles clenching and releasing as Spencer played with Aaron's hole. Spencer wanted Aaron to be as loose as possible. 

Spencer didn't know if Aaron was hard or not, he wasn't sure of a lot of things as he slid inside of Aaron after pulling his three fingers free. Aaron moaned a little as Spencer fully seated himself inside of his lover. He wiggled his ass a little bit when Spencer pulled out and pushed back in. Aaron was sated and relaxed though as Spencer pumped in and out of him. Aaron wanted this, and it was the only reason that Spencer was doing it. He knew the psychological understand of somnophilia and how it made certain people excited, but for Spencer, there was no added pleasure gained from the fact that Aaron was asleep. 

The orgasm that Spencer had in the living room was the only thing that made Spencer last as long as he did. Aaron was tight, more from the position they were having sex in than anything else. Spencer braced his arms on the bed just on either side of Aaron's shoulders and slowed his thrusts inside of Aaron. He didn't stop going as deep as he could, but he wanted to enjoy this. Aaron's reactions were subtle. Spencer had to watch carefully for every reaction. 

Spencer knew that Aaron watched Spencer like a hawk during sex, every single facial expression, every single little gasp. Spencer could understand how many didn't like having to do that during sex, he had understood that before this. Aaron had called them lazy and selfish lovers. Even before they had turned lovers, Spencer knew that Aaron would never be that way with him. 

Soulmates were perfect for each other and Spencer had never doubted that but seeing it and feeling it, Spencer wondered how perfect they could have been if Jack had never lost his speech. 

Spencer bowed his head again and buried it in Aaron's shoulders, gasping his orgasm into Aaron's skin. Spencer's arms shook, and he all but collapsed into Aaron's side after he gently pulled out of Aaron. Spencer would have to get up at some point and clean them both up. He didn't want Aaron waking up coated in the release, but for right now, he stayed there, cuddle into Aaron's side, breathing to match Aaron.

* * *

Aaron felt more relaxed than he had been in a long time as he shifted on the bed and woke up. He couldn't figure out what woke him up until he felt Spencer's body scooting closer. Aaron opened his eyes to see that he was on his side with his arm thrown over Spencer' back. Spencer was still asleep but trying to get as close to Aaron as he could get. It had been over a month since Spencer had found Aaron's soulmark and a soulmate in one fell swoop. Aaron leaned his head in so that he could place a kiss on the skin of Spencer's upper arm, the only skin that he could reach without possibly waking Spencer up. Aaron pulled his arm back so he could brace it on the bed between them and he could stay like that, just inhaling the scent of Spencer. The case had been horrible and over a week of hunting before they found the UnSub, still not in enough time to save any of his victims but at least he couldn't go out and find more. 

The night before flooded over Aaron's mind and he closed his eyes because he barely remembered waking up when Spencer had been cleaning him up afterward. There was no freak out from him on what had happened. Instead of feeling violated while he had been asleep, Aaron felt like he was on top of the world. He could feel the minor ache from sex, but there was no shame. Spencer would want to talk it to death, Aaron was sure, but he was okay with that. Aaron felt loved and cared for, even if he didn't remember the sex. He almost felt whole in a way that he hadn't before, and he knew it was because Spencer hadn't reacted like Haley had. Aaron knew that Spencer was perfect for him, but that didn't mean that everything that Aaron wanted would be accepted by Spencer. 

Spencer mumbled in his sleep and rubbed the side of his face into the bed. Aaron realized that Spencer had slipped down and wasn't even using the pillow at all, a quirk that Aaron saw more and more, the more they shared a bed at Aaron's. Spencer stopped and would spend a few hours with Curiosity on the weekends, but during the week, Spencer didn't come over to Aaron's except to eat dinner. Aaron wasn't pushing for more time. Spencer was adapting well to go from a bachelor to a man with a partner and a son. Spencer was doing well with Jack, there wasn't a lot of difference in how Spencer treated Jack or how Jack treated Spencer. There was just more to it all. 

Aaron smiled into Spencer's skin and laid his arm back over Spencer's back as he thought about dinner the night before. Spencer had cooked an excellent meal for them, and after dinner, it had been perfect, a night to remember and one to strive for more and more. It wasn't going to be long before Jack would want Spencer there more, and Aaron was content to let the two of them fight over that and sit back and enjoy having them both in his life. 

Jessica was the kink in the plan. Aaron was more than content to have her stay in the basement if that was what she wanted, but he had heard her talking about finding a place to live. Aaron had not asked Spencer his opinion on it, but he wasn't that worried. Spencer got along well with Jessica, and the basement was sort of like an apartment. Aaron knew though that Jessica would do as she wanted and if that meant moving out, that meant moving out. 

Aaron was wondering about how to get Jessica to allow him to buy her a house. Aaron had bought the house he was living in back when he had still been in law school. He had bought it with him and Haley and children in mind. Aaron didn't want to pull Jack away from that. It was the right size for all four of them but the house next door was a good bit smaller. It had only two bedrooms on the second floor, a smaller kitchen, and a living/dining room combination. The family who was trying to sell it had stuck a large dining room table into the room so that it was insane. However, with a smaller table in there, half of the dining room area could be turned into an office of sorts. It would be perfect for Jessica. 

Haley's life insurance had been put into Jack's trust but mainly because Aaron hadn't needed it. He and Jack were set for life, even if Aaron were to quit his job. His money was managed well, and he kept an eye on it. Aaron could sacrifice the asking price of the house and tell Jessica that he was using Haley's life insurance to buy it. Haley would want her sister taken care of, and if something were to happen to Aaron and Spencer, Jessica wouldn't have a large house to take care of. Jessica could even sell the bigger house and make some money. At the moment, Aaron's Will stated that all of his money was to be absorbed into Jack's trust to take care of him should he fall in the line of duty. There were more than generous allowances to be taken out for room and board, and if Jessica were the one to get Jack, she had a lot of leeway when it came to what she could pull out. The restrictions for a non-family member were tighter. 

Aaron didn't like to think that Jack would be raised without him and without Jessica, but anything could happen. There was nothing that would give Spencer custody at the moment. That thought sent a shiver down Aaron's spine. He needed to make sure that no one would take Jack away from Spencer. He also needed to ask Spencer if he would even want custody of Jack. He didn't figure that the younger man would balk at it and Dave would fight to make sure that Jack went with the team instead of Roy. Dave would do anything that he could to make sure that Aaron's wishes were followed, even if the Will did not state that. It just made Aaron want to tell Dave earlier than he had planned.

Right now with just the four of them knowing, everything was easy. It wasn't going to be hard to prove that they were soulmates. Their marks had settled, and the silver rings around their marks were a perfect match in color. The colors of the rings were never replicated on pairs. Some might look close, but no two had been found to be a match. Aaron had read up on the studies of soulmates over the years to keep up to date for the BAU and to see if there was a reason why some families that had every single member of the family with a mark sometimes had ones that did not. Aaron looked down at Spencer's mark. He had never asked him if either of his parents had a mark. 

Spencer started to rub his face into the bedding under him, meaning that he was starting to wake up. Aaron watched him as he fought waking up. Aaron knew that time was short with them, but he wanted every moment with Spencer that he could have. The house was already good enough for Curiosity, but Aaron wondered what he could do to set up an area for Curiosity in the backyard. He could set up a little fenced in area that had a top so that Curiosity couldn't jump out. Something that was easy to break down for when he needed to mow. If Jessica got the house next door, the fence could be torn down between the houses and set up from house to house taking in the whole of the joined backyards. 

Aaron heard a noise and looked down, seeing Spencer looking at him. Aaron smiled back and leaned down to place a kiss on Spencer's cheek. Aaron almost blurted out the question on his mind. He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to either. He didn't know what he would do if Spencer said no. Aaron coaxed Spencer onto his back and kissed him. If he distracted Spencer, he wouldn't blurt the question out.

* * *

Spencer could feel Aaron's eyes on him, but it wasn't intrusive. More like Aaron was looking at him and thinking. He opened his eyes to look and saw that Aaron didn't realize that Spencer was awake. No words were said as Aaron coaxed Spencer onto his back and started to kiss him. Spencer could feel so many emotions in the kiss. Spencer raised a hand up and carded it through Aaron's hair. 

Aaron didn't move to deepen the kiss at all. It just stayed a press and moving of lips over lips. It didn't take long for Spencer to realize that it was a distraction. Aaron was trying to distract Spencer from something, but Spencer couldn't figure out what about. Spencer forced himself not to focus on it. 

After a few more minutes, Aaron pulled back and stared at Spencer for a few seconds before he opened his mouth. "It's almost been a month. We have a little over a month before we have to report that we are soulmates to the FBI and not lose our jobs."

Spencer nodded at Aaron. He wiggled his hands up between their bodies and Aaron sat back so that he could see his hands. 

"I want to tell the team before we go to Applehorn. I know that Dave will be fine with everything. Everyone else will be happy to have me happy. Morgan will be the oddball. He might be upset that we didn't tell him right off, but Garcia will put him in his place. Might be a few days of ruffled feathers but I think that we will be fine." 

"I agree that everyone will be happy that you are happy. You didn't start to date me and then bring me onto the team. I'm stable, and my worth on the team is well established. Also, the team finding out that you have a soulmate after everything that has happened will make them happy. In the reports that I read about the Foyet event, it was one of the things that many said, that they wished you had a soulmate to at least look forward to or to come home to. We are already close. No one has ever questioned that you and Rossi are too close."

"No, but there is a difference between Dave and I's friendship and you and me and this." Aaron's hands enveloped them both, still naked in bed together. 

"However, I am unsure if they are going to be happy about me being the one. They might want me off the team. I've worked so hard, Aaron and I don't want to lose the BAU. There is no other team in the unit that would take me, I think. You know sign language and the others would just see me as a burden."

"They can't separate us."

"Unless me being there is detrimental to the team."

"We can hypothesize all we want. I know that I have to get your work taken over by Dave. He'll bitch and moan about the extra paperwork, but he'll do it. Applehorn will probably do it if Dave pitches too much of a fit." Aaron smiled at Spencer before brushing a kiss on his forehead.

"I've been thinking."

"I would be shocked if you were thinking about something every second of every day," Aaron said with a grin spreading over his face. Spencer slapped Aaron's chest. Aaron pulled him close and wrapped his arms around Spencer and rolled them to where Spencer was on top. Spencer leaned in and kissed him before he sat up on Aaron's stomach so he could talk.

"You've ruined me to sleeping in my bed alone. I don't like it. My landlord stopped me when I was on my way over here yesterday. The apartment is rent controlled because it's changed ownership. I'm one of the last there at such a low rate, and he wants me gone. He's noticed I am not home a lot overnight and stop by throughout the day, so he knows I am staying elsewhere. I have four months left on my lease, and he's offering to let me out of it anytime I want without charging me for breaking it and will give me back this last month if I am out in two weeks. I think that someone has their eye on my apartment, which is a beautiful apartment and is willing to pay a handsome fee to move in quickly". Spencer cocked his head to the side and watched the emotions on Aaron's face. For a few seconds, he was really hard to read. Aaron was hiding behind the Hotch face. But as the words sunk in, his lips started to stretch out, and he grabbed Spencer's waist. Spencer gasped as Aaron tipped him onto his back and settled over him.

"You are not joking?"

Spencer gave Aaron a look that told the older man what he thought of Aaron thinking it was a joke. Aaron laughed and leaned in to kiss him. Spencer pushed the man back. "I don't make jokes about important things. I meant it, you spoiled me for sleeping in bed alone."

"Are you sure that you want this? It's sudden. And I want to make sure that you want to move in here. My ex's touch is everywhere."

"As it should be for Jack. I'm sure that changes will be made to the house. I want this Aaron. I want you, Aaron and I want Jack. I love him. I really like this house, and I love your backyard. The only thing that would make it better would be a pool, but I know that there isn't enough room."

"See, this is where I have an idea." Aaron tipped Spencer onto his side, and he slipped close, his mouth at Spencer's ear and he laid out his plan. Spencer smiled as he listened to Aaron talking about trying to make himself and everyone else happy. This just might be the best move that Spencer had ever made.


	17. May 2010

Aaron closed the folder on the last file that he was going to work on for the rest of the day. He looked at the phone and saw that Dave had finally hung up on the three-hour phone call. Aaron almost didn't want to know what he had talked to someone about for three hours. Aaron hated being on the phone more than half an hour. Aaron picked up his phone and pressed the button for Dave's office. 

"Were you waiting for me to get off the phone?"

"Yes. I need to talk to you. My office shut the door behind you."

"Oh, intrigue. You never do closed door meetings with me anymore. Only a certain young mute gets those."

"Dave," Aaron warned.

"I'll be there in a moment." 

Aaron hung up the phone and glared at it, instead of the man who was making him glare. Jack had settled down a lot after Spencer and Curiosity had moved in. In fact, Aaron wasn't sure who had was more happy to see, Spencer or Curiosity. The cat had spent a few days of being upset at his change in home, living under the bed in the main bedroom. He came out only after everyone had left for the day, or at least that was what Spencer said who was keeping a very close eye on Curiosity's food and water. 

A morning routine that not only added Spencer into the mix but Curiosity had Aaron having a few rough mornings. Especially after Curiosity making his duty to watch Aaron in the bathroom of a morning. The first time that Aaron had turned around in the shower to find Curiosity sitting on the side farthest away from the spray, Aaron had screamed. Spencer had come running, but Curiosity had never moved. 

" _He did that with me for a while after I got him,_ " Spencer had said when he had entered the bathroom to see Aaron trying to shoo Curiosity out of there. Aaron had lived with it, but it had now morphed into a whole routine. As soon as Aaron got up, Curiosity jumped from where he was sleeping with Spencer and followed Aaron into the bathroom. Curiosity watched as Aaron shaved, took care of his hair, and did everything else that he needed to do. If Aaron shut the door to the bathroom, Curiosity sat outside of it and caterwauled until he was let in. Aaron called him a baby, but Spencer loved that cat, so Aaron lived with it. 

Curiosity loved Aaron and Jack. Once he got used to living in his new house and the new people's, Curiosity ruled over the house with a furry paw. With the weather being good outside, Curiosity wanted to spend as much time as he could outside. Usually, it was during dinner as it was the only time that someone was home for an extended period but on the weekends, it was several hours at a time. Aaron kind of wished that he had never set up the outside pen for the cat. 

Jack was over the moon to have a pet. Spencer was glad to relinquish many of the daily tasks to Jack. Spencer checked to make sure that it was all taken care of, but Jack was doing good. 

"Aaron," Dave said as he entered the office and shut the door. Aaron looked out into the bullpen to see JJ moving around the room handing out stacks of paperwork. Aaron realized that Spencer wasn't in the room. 

"Where's Reid?"

"At the range. He was called back to redo his last set of testing. Seems that one of the flunkies who kept the test guns cleaned and ready was not doing his job."

"He passed and why do you know this and not me?"

"I took a few minute break to get some coffee during my telephone marathon and heard him telling Morgan. Reid was not happy that he had to test again, but Morgan went with him."

"I'm glad that Reid is settling into the unit well."

"A few of the other teams are really starting to get used to him as well. Anderson really likes him and has sought him out for lunch a few times."

Aaron nodded.

"So I've noticed over the last while that you've sort of been talking less about our Reid and even less about what you do at home. Almost like you are keeping secrets. Is that what you want to talk to be about?" Dave sat down in the chair in the chair beside the couch that was on the opposite side of the room. He leaned back and got comfortable as Aaron made his way across the room. Aaron sat down in the middle of the couch. 

"For four months Spencer and I have been in a relationship."

"Four months? Damn. I lost that bet."

"Bet?" Aaron wasn't exactly shocked that there had been bets, Dave had brought that back to the unit when he came back. Usually, it was small stuff, sporting events and sometimes a few personal things that got around the office but this was the first betting pool that Aaron had been involved in, at least for a long time.

"That Friday when we all went out to eat for lunch, and you stayed to work on that file and Reid had lunch with...Martin was it from his old unit? The discussion was all about you two. I think that it took us a little longer to figure it out because you and Reid already spent so much time together because of Jack. Dammit though because I now have to give Anderson two hundred dollars. He had Valentine's weekend." 

Aaron looked down at his fingers and rubbed his thumb over his the joints of his other fingers. It was a small tell that he had fought years to cover up, but sometimes it slipped through. Dave knew what it meant. 

"Dammit on Anderson." Dave pulled his wallet from his pocket and laid down two hundred dollars as well as another five from a different pocket. "That's the pool that Anderson won for guessing the time right. Everyone else had days to a week before the day we made the bet."

"How did Anderson did better than you all?"

"I don't know, but that kid is going to be hard to live with. So why are you telling me about you and Reid and not everyone else?"

"The rest of the team will come later." Aaron was looking forward to telling the team, and it seemed like they all knew about them already but betting on something and actually living with it. Aaron knew that Spencer was worried about it and had spent the weekend planning the food for the cookout. From what Aaron was making to what Spencer was making and when. Aaron had never seen a timeline on food making before.

"And we are back to why you are telling me first and here."

"Because I can't be his boss on paper anymore."

"Moving him will just the FBI that something is up and then you two will be in more trouble."

"As soon as Spencer and I tell the team this weekend, we will be telling the FBI." Aaron leaned back on the couch and crossed his legs. 

"Aaron, it's been four months. I would suggest waiting until you know more and are thinking about taking it farther than just a relationship. I know how these things can go." Dave leaned forward, and Aaron didn't move. He didn't say a single thing but just watched Dave as Dave got more worked up about this than Aaron was. "I don't want this to damage either one of your jobs if it goes south."

"Dave, Spencer has moved in with Jack and me."

"After four months?"

"And a lot of time spent together. There is a deadline though for telling the FBI."

"There is no deadline for a relationship between a boss and subordinate, they are not supposed to happen. The only relationships that have a deadline are when two soulmates-" Dave stopped and stared at Aaron like he was trying to solve the riddle without Aaron actually saying it. "I read your file when you came into the FBI. There was no soulmark on your body, according to your own words."

"Do you remember that case about two months after I joined the unit? UnSub threw a molotov cocktail on me and the victim I was pulling out? I stripped out of my clothes before he could set fire to me. You made a comment about the scars on my back, especially the one at the top?"

"Yes, you told me to leave it alone, and I did. I knew when something was too personal to be shared. I do know when I should not go farther. I usually don't listen to it unless it's bad. I had been a profiler long enough at that point to recognize the scars left by belt hits. The one though was from a knife."

"Yes. It happened just before I turned sixteen. I had been staying away from my father well enough while I was home on the few weekends that I was. However, that Sunday, the 11th, I mouthed off to him. He beat me until I was bloody with a belt before he had me strip off my shirt because it was getting in the way. I was on my knees facing his desk when I felt the blade dig into my skin. I never could understand why father did what he did until about a month ago."

"How did you find out after so long?"

"Because Spencer saw my soulmark even through the scar."

"But if he's mute and you had never had a soulmark before, how is he your soulmate? It's kind of hard for him to have said anything that would make you fall in love with him."

"He says things with his phone, and he mouths words. I don't see where that would be any different. I will not tell you what he said or what my mark or his mark say as both of personal."

"How did he find your scars? You admitted to me when we went to drink at a bar in Tucson a long time ago that you never let Haley see your back."

"I never did no."

"But you did Reid?"

"I didn't feel the need to hide with him. Spencer did not see the mark the first time that I allowed him to see all of my scars." 

"That should have been your first clue."

"The first clue should have been the fact that I let him be around Jack when I should have let no one around. That first cookout that I had for the team after it all, I was worried about everyone being around Jack. I wanted Spencer there because at least it would help to have someone that could understand Jack no matter what. I was Jack's rock after he came home, but Spencer was the lighthouse on that rock, and he kept more than just Jack safe. It took a long while for me to admit that I wanted him and even after I admitted it, it was a shock that he wanted me back."

"So how did that happen? I, at least, want to win one bet."

"There are more bets on us?"

"How it came about. Prentiss and Morgan figure that Reid just gave up trying to get you to act and laid one on you. JJ and I think that you made the first move and Garcia figures that it was Jack or Jessica."

"I kissed him. We were on the couch, and I leaned over him to set something down, and I kissed him. Jack had a nightmare and interrupted us. We ended up sleeping on the couch, all three of us. That was Valentine's weekend. It was always so easy with us. Even with Haley and I, I second guessed a lot of things. I did love her when we were younger, and I would never want to change a thing in our younger days."

"Reid is just under sixteen years younger than you. That weekend that your father gave you that scar..." Dave trailed off.

"Yes. Father saw the mark and knew that it hadn't been there just weeks before. So my soulmate had been born over those weeks meaning that he or she was much younger than me and that would not be something that my father would want for the image that he was trying to maintain for the family. It wasn't much later that my father died of a heart attack and I stopped caring about the family image and just tried to make a life for myself."

"Applehorn is probably going to blow a gasket that you waited until the end of limit to tell the FBI about you guys."

"He can't do anything about it. Soulmates are given the two months for a reason. I already have all the medical documentation for both of us. The only thing that still needs to be taken care of is you to take over being his boss on paper and in the field when I cannot make decisions and to tell the team and get them behind us."

"That's going to be a lot easier than you think. The team would agree to anything to make you happy."

"I know that, and you know that, but Spencer is still too unsure of his place on the team and how much everyone likes him. He's worried about how the team is going to take everything. He's wanted this job for years. He's afraid that to get something he never saw for himself but he wants more than anything anymore, he's going to have to give up his dream. While legally, the FBI can do nothing to us for the relationship and cannot pull us apart, if it means the team splitting up, with our case rate, Spencer will be pressured to leave the team if not the unit."

"That would never happen. They like him too much."

"Yes, well, Spencer knows that the team likes him as Spencer Reid, BAU Team Member. They like him as Spencer Reid, Mute. They even like him as Doctor Spencer Reid, knower of all things. However, he's afraid of what the team will think of Spencer Reid, Aaron Hotchner's soulmate."

"So a team meal this weekend at your house? You haven't moved houses have you?"

"No, Spencer likes my house, and he loves the backyard and the neighborhood. I think that if I really wanted to move, he would be upset."

"And I know that Jack likes Spencer but how is he taking all of this? How is Jessica taking it?"

"Considering that Jack wanted Spencer to move in and live with us like Jessica does before Spencer, and I kissed the first time, he's over the moon. For Jack, it's the best thing ever, and it got better when he found out that Spencer and I were together. Jack has his own mark, and Haley always had a romantic view on them, even though her own had died when she was young. Jack's excited that I have a mate and that it's Spencer. It's the best thing in the world because that means that Spencer is never leaving and that Spencer moving in brought Curiosity."

"Yes, I remember that cat. I'm shocked that he likes either one of you. I never got that cat to even look at me."

"Dave, be thankful, the cat has made himself a part of my morning routine and watches me shower."

Aaron knew that look on Dave's face. Dave was trying to hold back a severe case of the laughs. Aaron picked up a napkin and balled it up before tossing it at the man. 

"So dinner at your love nest."

"Dave," Aaron warned.

"As well as I am assuming all of the things you normally make at cookouts. I think that it's shaping up to be a wonderful weekend. I'll keep a hold of Anderson's winnings on the timeline and JJ, and I will split up the money in the little side bet. Just let me know, if you need anything, Aaron, now or in the future. At least with this relationship, you won't have to worry about him getting upset at the job."

"No, that's a given, and my sister-in-law adores him, sometimes I think more than she likes me."

"So dinner tonight, are you free or do you and Spencer have plans?"

"Spencer and I do not. Jessica, Jack, and Spencer are going to Chuck E Cheese. Spencer has never been, and Jessica promised to get pictures. I was going to see about dinner with you."

Dave smiled, and Aaron knew that he would have his support in everything.

* * *

Spencer settled the fern down onto the stand in front of the window before looking out the window. He saw Morgan's truck pull up as well as JJ's car. Rossi had got there an hour before and other than the raised eyebrows at Spencer being in one of Aaron's shirts. Spencer had taken off for the bedroom to change. Rossi had got there too early, and Spencer had not been ready. Spencer looked at his tablet that was on the charger and his cell phone beside it. He didn't know which one he was going to being out with him. Aaron had set up the chairs like he had done for that first cookout that Spencer had gone to. Spencer had all but taken over that chair as his own. It held his tablet correctly for using to type out his words whenever he was outside with Aaron and Jack. 

Aaron never cared what device Spencer was using to talk when he wanted to speak out loud. Phone, tablet, laptop, or even desktop when they were in the little office that Aaron had inside of the house. Others sometimes did, and Spencer knew that Prentiss and JJ both gave him funny looks when he pulled out his tablet instead of using his phone if they were in a more personal setting. But when outside the tablet had a better range of loudness than his phone. Spencer checked the battery level on the tablet and found it at full, so he grabbed it up and the phone and put on a brave face. 

The ring of the doorbell sounded all through the house. Spencer stopped as he heard Jack's feet run across the living room. Aaron had been in the kitchen when Spencer had come upstairs near an hour before, but Spencer did not know where he was at the moment. Spencer watched as Morgan and Garcia got out of Morgan's truck. JJ, Will, Henry, and Prentiss got out of the other car. Which was a little odd. He could see Prentiss getting out of Morgan's truck but not the sedan that was JJ's car. 

"Welcome, welcome," Aaron's voice called out, and Spencer stopped moving. There was no chance to go back.

"I texted Reid to see if he needed a ride but I see that his car is already here," Morgan said. The sound of the door shutting told Spencer that everyone was inside. "And he made it before Rossi which is odd because Rossi is usually either first or late. Did you leave him out with the grill?"

"No, Spencer is upstairs."

"What's he doing upstairs?" Prentiss questioned. 

"Why don't you guys head out into the backyard and I'll join you in a few." 

"Bossman, you are acting weird," Garcia said.

"No, I'm not acting weird, I'm acting like myself when I am at home. So please, go into the backyard, and I'll bring Spencer outside with me." 

"Is his stomach bothering him?" JJ asked. She sounded worried. "He's been having tummy issues all week."

"I think it's stress and no he's not having problems with it today. Just go." Aaron's voice was louder, and a few seconds later, Aaron was staring at Spencer with an indulgent smile on his face.

"Don't be worried. Everything is fine. Everything will be fine." Aaron held his hand out, and Spencer tucked his hand with the phone and tablet into his chest. Spencer reached out and held onto Aaron's hand as the older man pulled him after him. Spencer was truly happy for the first time in his life instead of just going along to be content. This meeting would be the deciding factor if he got to keep that happiness. 

Spencer had gone to lunch with Martin on Thursday to get a foot back in the door on maybe joining that unit again if he couldn't stay on Aaron's team. He did not want to be in the BAU on a different team. He would rather be somewhere else. Martin though had a different idea for him if the BAU went belly up for him. The current Section Chief for the White Collar Crime Unit was interested in Spencer. The interest had come down after Spencer had put in his bid for the BAU. Martin had kept it quiet so that Spencer wouldn't feel like he had to tell the Section Chief thanks but no thanks. 

Aaron stopped at the bottom of the steps but Spencer wasn't expecting it, so he ran into him. Aaron turned and took the tablet and phone from his hands and set them down on the post at the bottom of the rail before pulling Spencer close. Spencer started to blush as Aaron stared at him. Aaron let go of Spencer's hand to pull him into a soft kiss. 

"I love you, Spencer and that's all that matters. Whatever happens, just remember that. I love you, and you love me, and we are all that we need." Aaron didn't let Spencer pull back. He leaned their foreheads together and just stood there. Spencer knew that Aaron was worried about him. Spencer had been acting weird all week, but he was scared. Spencer hated feeling scared about things that he couldn't change. There was nothing that could be done except for telling the team and wait for the fallout. Applehorn was going to be told first thing Monday morning, and that was Spencer was more prepared for, or at least as much as he could be until they talked to the team. 

"I love you," Spencer said when he was allowed to pull away enough so that he could sign. "More than I ever thought possible."

"And we face this together."

Spencer nodded. He inhaled and exhaled before smiling at Aaron. Jack came running in and jumped up onto the step that Spencer was on and raised his hands up. Spencer obliged in picking him up. Jack wrapped his arms around Spencer's neck as Spencer settled him onto his side. Aaron grabbed the tablet and cellphone before heading toward the backyard. Spencer followed behind with Jack in his arms. Henry was playing by himself with a pile of toys near where Will was sitting just behind JJ in a chair. 

Everyone was seated around the grill except for downwind. Morgan and Prentiss had moved their seats as it looked like the wind had shifted. There was a chair between Spencer's and Aaron's for Jack, but Jack didn't wiggle in Spencer's hands as he got close. Spencer sat down in the chair, and Jack shifted to sit in his lap. Aaron sat the tablet down, opened up and tucked the phone beside it before he moved to the grill to check on the chicken. Spencer watched as Aaron basted the chicken before turning it. 

"So, Hotch, we don't normally do these things at your house unless something is going on. So what's going on?" Morgan asked.

"The chicken has about another half an hour to go until it's ready and everything else is staying warm in the kitchen. I see you all got drinks which is good." Aaron turned around where he was, and it took about two seconds for Spencer to realize what the man was going to do and he shifted his legs to where Aaron wasn't going to sit on them. "I found out that part of what I thought about myself was false."

"What?" JJ asked. She was thoroughly confused, but then Aaron's words were confusing.

"I thought that I had no soulmark on my body. But then when the mark is across the shoulder blades on your back, it's easy to understand why I never noticed it after it had formed."

"My mom checked me obsessively until I hit the age where it was uncool to let your mom look you over for marks. Which was about thirteen for me," Morgan said. 

"I stopped letting my mother look at me for them when I was seven. I hated seeing the look on her face. The Hotchner family has a long history of every blood member having a mark. My father had one even though the person he was mated with died. My father had my DNA checked to make sure that Mother didn't cheat on him, more than once. I was the black sheep because I didn't have the mark. I've found out the exact date of course that I got my mark."

"Exact date, that means that you have found your soulmate?" Garcia looked really excited about that. In fact, she started to bounce up and down in her seat. "That's so exciting."

"Yes. October ninth nineteen eight one was the date that my mark appeared. I know that I have never talked about my childhood directly. I've hinted at it, and I am not going to confirm anything. I have scars from childhood that stopped me from wanting anyone to see my back. That is how I never knew. I didn't even want to see my back. When I was in bed with my soulmate, he saw my mark. He realized that he had said the words not too long before."

"That's adorable." Garcia looked like she was going to combust.

"So is this a meeting to meet him?" Prentiss said. She looked at Spencer with a weird look on her face. Her eyes darted to Jack who was leaning against Spencer while playing on Spencer's phone. Spencer had installed a paint application on the phone, and Jack loved to draw on it. Spencer wrapped his arm around Jack's waist and tugged him close. Prentiss's eyes got rather large before he looked at Aaron and then back at Spencer and cocked an eyebrow. Spencer nodded. Prentiss gave Spencer two thumbs up. Spencer ducked his head and smiled, he could feel the blush starting. 

"Yes," Aaron said. 

"So where is he?"

"There is a small catch," Aaron said.

"Catch?" Garcia asked. 

"What kind of catch can there be in finding out your soulmate?"

"Easy, I will throw you out if you piss me off." 

"So where is he? Did Reid put him into a coma talking to him when he was upstairs?" Morgan asked. He was smiling when he looked at Spencer. Spencer was looking at him through the fringe of his hair. It took less time for Morgan to put it together than it took Prentiss. 

"That's Reid's birthday," Garcia said. She turned to look at Spencer before looking at Aaron. "That day that you said you got the mark is Reid's birthday, Bossman."

"Yes, Garcia I am well aware of that."

Spencer grabbed the tablet and started to type, setting it up on a delay to where it would not start to speak until he hit enter. Everyone was silent as Spencer typed it all out. He looked at what he was going to say and when he was sure that it was how he wanted it, Spencer set it down and hit enter before eh wrapped both arms around Jack. Jack realizing that something was up, set down the phone and cuddled into Spencer's arms.

" _I know that the FBI can't split him and I up since we did not know that we were mates before I joined the team but there are ways of doing it to so that we can't fight it. Especially if you guys are upset about it being me. I never wanted this. I didn't mean for it to happen and the last thing that I want is to upset the team. If you guys can't stand me being on the team, I'll transfer out. I don't want to push Aaron out of the team. I don't want to upset the team._ " 

Spencer didn't look up at anyone as his tablet talked for him. He felt Aaron's gaze on him, but he didn't look up at him either. He had not told Aaron about his plans for if the team was upset. Spencer felt like puking. He was half tempted to hand Jack off to his father and run inside before anyone could catch him. Spencer's eyes darted to the door, and he tried to figure out the time it would take for someone to come after him. If he walked at first, he could get some lead time before someone was to come after him. 

A tap on Spencer's knee had him looking up at Aaron for just a second, but he caught the look on his face. 

"I'm not sure what to say to that," Rossi said. The man said nothing else and neither did anyone else which made Spencer actually look up at Rossi. "You just got onto the team, and already you want to leave."

" _I don't want to leave but I will if you guys don't want me on the team anymore because Aaron and I are soulmates._ " Spencer used the phone on his lap to type that out. Jack didn't move at all. 

"Self-sacrificing your own happiness to keep Aaron happy. Pretty big for getting your dream job and given the look that Aaron gave you, he didn't know about the sacrifice you are willing to make."

"No, and it doesn't matter because I am going to tell every single one of you the same thing that I am going to tell Applehorn tomorrow. He stays, or we leave."

Spencer looked up at Aaron in shock. Aaron wasn't looking at Spencer though, he was looking at Morgan. Spencer grabbed Aaron's arm and forced him to look at Spencer. Aaron did after a few more seconds of a staredown with Morgan. 

"You can't just leave, not because of me." Spencer's movements of his hands were jerky, showing how upset he was with Aaron making that decision without talking to him. He knew that for him while the BAU was his dream job he had been content without out, he would not be content without Aaron. Not anymore. Spencer did not want Aaron to ever resent him for making him leave the job. Resentment had no place in a healthy relationship. The job didn't matter to Spencer, not more than Aaron or Jack.

"I won't have you give up what you want for me any more than you want to see me giving up my job for you. However, I don't want to do this job without out you, Spencer. So it's all or nothing."

Spencer just stared at Aaron for several minutes, not paying attention to the voices talking around them. Spencer had no clue what Jack understood of the conversation between Spencer and his father, but Jack slid off of Spencer's lap moved over to play with Henry. 

"I can't have you start to resent me, Aaron. I could live with not working on this team or in the BAU if it meant that you never started to resent me. I can't be in the BAU and not be on your team. The thought of you ever resenting me for you not doing what you love has me sick to my stomach. I can't be responsible for that."

"And you wouldn't ever resent me for not leaving with you, for not fighting for you?"

"Why would I? You are this job."

"Shouldn't you get what you want as well?" Aaron asked, his voice near breaking. 

"I have you and Jack."

"Jack and I are not consolation prizes for giving up what you want!" Aaron near screamed and jumped up from where he was sitting with Spencer. Spencer looked to the side and saw that the team had wandered over to where Aaron had been working on revamping a section of the garden with new flowers. 

"I could never give up you two, and I can give up the job. If a sacrifice had to be made, I would rather it be me giving up than you."

"Why?" Aaron demanded. 

Spencer looked away from Aaron. He felt Aaron sit down again and resisted the hand that tried to get him to look at Aaron but only for a few seconds. 

"Why do you have to give up what you want while I get everything that I want?"

"Someone has to make the sacrifice."

Aaron frowned at Spencer, but he reached out with his other hand and forced Spencer closer to him. "You are stronger than me but Spencer, I don't want this job without you."

"I heard the others talk about how you didn't even leave it to make Haley happy."

"Haley was never happy. When I was a prosecutor, all she talked about was how long I had to be that before I could become a Judge, then a Senator. She wanted me in politics. She saw a life that she wanted and wanted to use my career to get her there. When I left to join the FBI, she changed the tune on how I was to get into politics, but when I went into the BAU and didn't show signs of leaving, then she started to demand that I leave. That is why I didn't leave for her. It would have never ended. Until I bowed to her wishes."

Spencer didn't know what to say to that. 

"We are responsible to each other Spencer. I don't want to be where you are not. Do you want to be where I am not?"

Spencer shook his head. 

"Then we stay as one or leave as one."

Spencer nodded. Aaron reached up and rubbed a tear from his eye that he hadn't even realized that he had shed.

"I don't want to interrupt," Rossi started.

"Yet, you are." Aaron turned in the seat to look at him and the rest of the team. "It's fine. Our little spat is over."

"Yes, I thought it might be. While you two were discussing your differences, the team came to a decision. Especially once they found out how long the two of you have actually been together and well, Reid, you can stay. They don't want to see the team broke up and as long as I stay in charge of Reid they are fine with keeping the team as it is."

Spencer looked behind Rossi and saw that the team was nodding. Spencer waved them over. JJ was the first to brave the distance, and she hugged Aaron and then Spencer before grinning at the both and darting back to Will. Spencer knew it was a single obstacle, and work remained, but he felt lighter for it. 


	18. June 2010

Aaron rolled over in bed and found that Spencer was asleep on his stomach again. Aaron draped himself over Spencer's back and settled down there. Spencer felt really warm, and Aaron knew that he would pull away soon. Aaron was glad that the team had taken it well that they were soulmates. The FBI had been a little reluctant to allow Spencer and Aaron to be on the same team but they could not pull them apart. 

It was why Aaron wanted to wait the longest time that they could before telling Applehorn. Applehorn had been told first, and that meeting had gone well. Applehorn had not been shocked at all about it but was glad that they were soulmates because he had already noticed that the two of them were closer than normal. 

Aaron's lawyer was taking care of all of the legal things of joining their lives. Registering the bond between mates was just as much of a hassle legally as getting married, just thankfully there was no actual ceremony. Aaron was sure that someday he would want to put a ring on Spencer's finger and call him husband as well as soulmate, but that was a long way away. 

Legally, Spencer was recognized as Jack's father, and Aaron had already had the adoption papers filled out. Aaron had rushed those before anything else. He didn't want anything to happen that would cause Jack to be separated from Spencer. Wills were going to be filled out after all of the new paperwork was done. The adoption papers were sitting on Aaron's nightstand just waiting for Spencer to look at them and sign them. 

Spencer huffed out a breath and Aaron watched his hand reach out and snag his phone. Aaron watched it disappear under Spencer before the pillow was pulled over his head. 

" _It's too early for that much hard thinking, Aaron. If you were thinking about fucking me, it would be different, but you are not. So either talk about what you have on your mind or fuck me._ " Spencer's head did not appear above the pillow, so Aaron laughed and instead of pulling it off, Aaron pulled Spencer over to him, so they were in the center of the bed. Aaron grabbed Spencer's arms and pulled them out from under the pillow and pressed them down into the bed. He nuzzled at the hair on the back of Spencer's neck. 

"Is that what you want?"

Spencer nodded his head, so Aaron lowered down to nip at the back of Spencer's neck. 

"I'll talk to you after I give you what you want." Aaron grabbed the lube from Spencer's bedside stand. Aaron kissed down Spencer's back a little before going back up to lube two of his fingers. Spencer spread his legs as Aaron slipped down a little more to get the angle that he wanted. Aaron's two fingers slipped inside of Spencer easily. The honeymoon phase of the relationship had not stopped yet, and Aaron kind of hoped that it never did. While they had not had anal sex the night before, Aaron had played with Spencer's hole and prostate while he had been sucking him off. Aaron hadn't even lasted for Spencer to return the favor. 

Spencer's hands grabbed the sheet on the bed, and he pushed himself up to his knees, displaying himself for Aaron. Aaron bent down and bit at Spencer's cheek before he curled his fingers to brush over Spencer's prostate. Aaron had never enjoyed sex with anyone as much as he did Spencer. There was no pressure like there had been with Haley. Aaron had to focus and never be too aggressive, never be too needy. As long as Spencer got off and enjoyed it, he didn't care what happened. As long as it ended in orgasm really, Spencer really didn't care what happened. Aaron found himself becoming a better lover for it. Spencer's silence made Aaron focus on the younger man and his slight reactions to everything. There was no moan of pleasure to let him know he was doing anything right and there was no hiss of pain when something was wrong. Instead, there were just those little breathy moans that if Aaron was too worked up, or he was making too much noise, he'd miss those sounds that he loved. 

Aaron pulled his fingers free before he grabbed the lube to dribble some on his cock, he pressed into Spencer after a quick hand spread the lube around. Spencer shuddered as Aaron bottomed out. Reaching around with the lubed hand, Aaron found Spencer's cock, and it was already leaking so much. 

"Were you dreaming of this?" Aaron asked, and he watched Spencer nod his head under the pillow. Aaron stayed pressed into him and pulled the pillow off of Spencer's head. Spencer was smiling, Aaron could see the tips of the grin on his cheeks. 

"This exactly or something else?" Aaron asked. Spencer's hand lifted up long enough for him to a make a so-so movement, so Aaron pulled out of him, and as soon as he did, Spencer rolled onto his back. Aaron grabbed Spencer's thighs and pushed them up, his hands sliding up until he had a hold of the underside of Spencer's knees. Spencer grabbed ahold of Aaron's shoulders and pulled him close to kiss him. 

Aaron had thought that Spencer liked to kiss during sex because it helped to settle Aaron on the noises that Spencer couldn't make but given how much Spencer liked to kiss him in general, Aaron knew now that it was just an extension of that. Aaron balanced himself onto the forearm of his right arm and pulled out of the kiss to stare down at Spencer. Spencer wiggled his legs out from between them to wrap them around Aaron's lower back, getting them that much closer. Spencer's arms wrapped around Aaron's neck, tugging him down that little bit to kiss him again. 

Spencer called it fucking, but it wasn't it was lovemaking. Both of their orgasms rolled over them gently, gasping out in each other's mouths. Aaron could barely hold himself up, but he was saved as Spencer rolled him over to rest on his chest. Spencer's head laid over Aaron's heart and just listened to it beat. 

"So did it live up to your dream?" Aaron asked as he trailed his fingertips up and down Spencer's back, barely brushing on the sweaty skin. It was summer, so Aaron didn't go to work as early as he did during the school year. He had started it last year in the wake of what happened, and so he had started it up again for him and for Spencer for the summer. The work days were shorter and intense when they were home, but it was worth it. 

Spencer crinkled his nose, and Aaron recognized the look as his thinking look. Aaron laughed and tickled down Spencer's sides. Spencer wiggled, trying to escape. Aaron let him, but Spencer didn't go far. Instead, he just pushed himself up and sat on Aaron's waist. 

"Dreams never live up to reality. Reality is so much better than my dreams." Spencer smiled down at Aaron before he reached up to ruffle Aaron's hair. "Join me in a shower?"

The shower was not quick at all. There was a lot of time spent just touching and kissing under the spray until all of the hot water was gone in the tank. Jack had taken a long bath the night before so thankfully he didn't need to take a bath that morning before being dropped off at a neighbor's house. A new family had moved into the area just a few weeks before, the husband transferred to DC from Texas for a desk job at the Pentagon. The wife, Elena was a wonderful woman who had been a caregiver for base children from the moment she had married her husband. It had not taken long for her to collect children to watch over the summer from the area. She didn't know sign language, but she was fantastic at listening to Jack when he mimed what he wanted or didn't want. So far Jack loved her. 

There wasn't a lot of time for spending together between too long in the shower and Jack sleeping in, but there was a rushed breakfast which Spencer cooked while Aaron got Jack up and ready. The routine had been easy to fall into after getting used to Jack not having to rush to school. 

"One more day until I get to spend all day with Spencer at the park," Jack signed as the car was pausing to let Jack out. Aaron watched his fingers in the rearview mirror. Jack was very excited about going to the park. Spencer was going to play a little chess in the afternoon with a teenager that he liked to play with. But before that, it was going to be a few hours of Jack playing before he started to learn chess. If Jack liked it and wanted to keep learning it, it was going to become a weekend thing for the two of them to do when soccer wasn't in season. 

"I know you are looking forward to it, Jack." Aaron watched as Jack climbed out of the car. Spencer opened his door, and Jack climbed in to give Spencer a hug and a kiss and lean over to give Aaron a kiss. Aaron was enjoying these times because he knew that the time was fast approaching where jack would not want public affection from him. 

The door to the house opened, and Elena stood there waving at the three of them before Jack took off. 

Aaron switched the car out of park and drove toward the highway that would take then to Quantico. Just before he got there though, Aaron pulled off the road.

"Aaron?" Spencer asked as Aaron shut off the car.

"I've had these papers for two weeks now, and I keep putting off asking you to think about them."

"Think about them?" Spencer asked. 

Aaron reached into the back seat and grabbed the packet from his briefcase and handed it over to Spencer. Spencer looked at the logo in the corner and Aaron's name hand printed in the middle. His nose crinkled in the same way that it had earlier that morning. Aaron gripped the steering wheel, and Spencer's eyes went to the creaking leather. 

Spencer opened the manila envelope like it might hold a bomb and Aaron knew that mentally he thought that it could be. Spencer laid the stapled papers in his lap and flipped through the pages. Aaron knew Spencer's work reading speed and his pleasure reading speed pretty well, this was a pace between the two. Spencer looked in the rearview mirror for a moment after he got to the last page. 

_"You know that my father left me when I was young."_

"Yes, Spencer. You've talked about it some. I'm not afraid of you doing that, even without those papers signed. I'm fairly certain that before I even kissed you if something happened for us to not be friends anymore, you would continue to see Jack through Jessica. I know that you love Jack more than you ever thought that you could and that this paper isn't going to change that. This paper is more about me and my need to make sure with this job that everything is taken care of. This legal document isn't going to make you love Jack more or less. The only reason that I have hesitated to give it to you is that I know of your feelings on fathers and I didn't want you to freak out in thinking of Jack as yours, even though he already is."

"He already is my son, no matter what this paper says. I don't want anything to change as far as that goes. I don't want Jack to call me anything but Spencer until he wants to. He's already feeling stressed on how everything has settled, but he's still not speaking."

"I've seen you discussing a few things when Jack thinks that I am busy."

"I've told him that he can't rush it and that his voice will come back when it wants." Spencer glanced at Aaron for a few quick second before going back to looking out the window again. I feel bad.

"Why?" Aaron cursed himself for starting this in the car. It wasn't the best place because he couldn't really force Spencer to look at him or hold him. 

"I hate the day that he gets his voice back because then he's more like you than me and that makes me feel selfish."

"Not selfish just human. You've had this part of Jack that no one else has been able to claim. I can understand. Jack's not going to stop talking to you with his hands though, Spencer. Nor am I. It's not like we both won't need to stay learning sign language as new words come up. You cannot talk, and that's never going to change. I like talking to you with my hands sometimes. I like the silence of it and just think that there are times that silence is nice when not waking up Jack. There are times thinking back to Jack's infant months that having the ability to talk to Haley with sign language would have been wonderful. Much less chance of waking Jack up." 

Spencer shrugged at Aaron's words and didn't look at him. Aaron sighed and unbuckled his seat, he watched Spencer watch him as he got out of the car and moved around to open Spencer's door. Spencer looked away from him and out into the lot that they were parked in. 

"He's not going to not love you anymore if you don't share that trait. He loves you because you are you. Whether you sign those papers today or a year from now it doesn't matter." Aaron forced Spencer's face toward his own. Spencer had tears on his face. Aaron brushed at them with his thumbs. "You don't think that Jack doesn't love you do you?"

Spencer shook his head. He tried to raise up his hands, but Aaron just leaned in and kissed his forehead. 

"Jack has loved you for longer than I have and it's not just a childish love. He loves you like he loves me."

Spencer pushed Aaron back a little so that he could sign. "I will sign the papers as soon as we get into the office. I do want to, Aaron. I love him so much, and I know that the paper doesn't prove it. I just hate feeling like I am taking a small part of him from you."

"And that's part of why I love you. From day one you have hated to take my time with Jack away from me. So thank you for signing the papers without getting upset at me."

Spencer leaned in and kissed Aaron, trying to convey with his mouth what he couldn't speak. Aaron allowed him to kiss him as long as he liked. It was nice being the boss and having years of being the first in. He expected a text from Dave asking him if he was okay but other than that no one would blink an eye at him being about half an hour later than normal. 

* * *

Aaron watched Spencer was he penned his newest letter to his mother. Aaron liked watching him as he wrote for many reasons but the top two was that his face was so serene while he was doing it. He enjoyed writing to her and liked his alone time doing it. Aaron had set up a small area in the office that had a lap desk leaning beside the chair and a stack of the paper that Spencer wrote to her on a stand there with the pens that he liked. If Spencer was in that chair, everyone left him alone. It did not mean that Aaron didn't stare though. 

Spencer ignored Aaron's staring after he finally got used to it. Aaron didn't watch him much, but there were a few things that Aaron wanted to talk to Spencer about. While all of their things were combined, they still have most of the financial things separate, and Aaron hadn't even thought about asking Spencer's opinion before he had done something slightly stupid. 

" _I can hear you waiting from over here. I'm done writing the letter so you can tell me whatever it is._ " Spencer was sealing up the envelope for the letter, and Aaron knew that he would drop it in the post box down the road on the way to the park in a little bit. Jack was just finishing up some of the summer work that Spencer had him do daily so that he wouldn't lose anything from the school year before. New Haven sent home packets like it for all students, but Spencer had added to Jack's. 

"I know that we had talked a little about the house for Jessica and we had talked to her and she was kind of on the fence about everything."

" _Aaron you didn't put a bid in on that house next door did you?_ "

"We agreed never to lie to each other, Spencer so how exactly do you want me to answer that?"

" _She's going to slap you on the back of the head, and you won't be able to say a thing about it._ "

"I know that, but I have plans for that backyard. Jack wants a pool, and our yard is too small. I want to tear down the fence around the yards and build one that doesn't separate the houses but keeps everyone else out."

" _Grand plans but what happens if she says no?_ "

"I don't know." Aaron really didn't. He hoped that she didn't say no. She had done, did, and would continue to do so much for her that money that was sitting in an account that he didn't need would go better to buying her a house.

" _I understand the gesture, Aaron but just remember that if she gets upset, she isn't ungrateful but just surprised by the grand nature of the gift._ "

"I know. When she was in college, her car broke down. Haley wanted a new car, and I bought it for her, and when Haley gave Jessica her old one, it brought a few small issues. I'll be nice, and I'll be gentle, and I'll make her understand why I want to do it. It's not that I think she can't take care of herself, it's that I want to show her how much what she has done for me means to me and giving her some safety and a place to call her own will show that, more than just letting her live in my basement."

" _It is a nice basement. I'd love to turn part of it into a library/office for me._ "

"You don't like sharing an office with me?" Aaron pouted a little bit until Spencer threw his pen at him. "I know having to share the space when you are trying to spread out and work on classwork sucks. So today while you two are at the park, I'm going to talk to Jessica. So if you get a big S.O.S., she didn't take it well at all."

Spencer nodded and looked at the envelope on the lap desk before he set it aside and stacked the letter on top of the extra paper. 

" _I liked my childhood. I knew that I should have told people what was wrong with mom and that I needed help but taking me away from her wasn't going to help her, and it wasn't going to help me. Genius intelligence like mine coupled with my muteness was a recipe for abuse of all kinds in foster care or a group home. I made things work. I want us to go to Vegas and see mom soon. We can get a few days off and go before Jack goes back to school for the year. Just one day can be seeing mom and you meeting her. I do want you to meet her, Aaron. I want you to meet the woman who made me who I am._ "

"I never thought that you didn't, Spencer. I know that with her sickness and the distance and your job given her delusions, it can't be easy to tell her that you've found your soulmate in a man who is the consummate, G-Man as it were. We can't just do a surprise visit. I don't have parents, and with everything that has happened with Roy, Jack needs Grandparents, and even if it's just occasional letters from her, Jack would love whatever she does."

" _I've written her about us and everything but when she does write back she doesn't mention it, and I don't know what to think about that. I can call her, and I use my tablet to speak to her, but sometimes the mechanical sounding voice freaks her out. It's better to see her in person._ "

"Why don't you go and see her a few weeks before? You take the weekend and kind of do a test run. Jack and I will miss you, but you need to make sure that she's okay with us just popping in."

" _I might do that, everything depends on cases._ " Spencer's eyes tracked around the room and landed on the clock. His eyes widened, and he looked at his phone to double check the time. Aaron looked at the clock on the computer. He hadn't realized that it had got so late. 

"You guys need to head out."

* * *

Spencer watched Jack closely as he played. The boy didn't move far from the swing and slide set. Even though Jack wasn't yelling and screaming like the other kids, he was easy to spot. It was also easy to notice that many of the women were staring at him with stares that were getting less and less obvious. Spencer had never taken Jack to this park, it was one of two closest to Aaron's house, and it was the one that had a chess area. If Spencer liked it, it would become his primary park to play chess in. Spencer was particular about who he played with but his friend, Jimmy, would go anywhere in the city to play with Spencer. 

The parks in the DC and suburb area had a strong police presence, so Spencer wasn't shocked to see a patrol car make its way around the outer edge of the park. He wasn't shocked to see two cops on foot walking through the park. What he was shocked about was that the two of them were eying him. Spencer had his bag beside him with only his phone out. His wallet with driver's license and his FBI credentials were inside of the bag as well. Spencer felt his phone start to vibrate before the ring started to blast from the speakers. It was Aaron. If he was calling, he just wanted to relay information and not have a conversation. 

Spencer reached out to pick up the phone, and the two cops started toward him. Spencer hesitated as the two cops stopped just about two feet from him. 

"Sir, put down the phone."

Spencer complied and set down the phone. He placed his hands just a few inches above his lap and signed that he was mute. He knew that it was unlikely that the cops would know sign language but he hoped that they could recognize it for what it is. When the one cop looked at him like he was an idiot, he knew that it wasn't the case. 

"Sir, please put your hands down and stop making threatening gestures."

Spencer knew then that this was not going to go well at all. Spencer's eyes darted to where Jack was playing. Jack had not noticed what was going on yet. The mother's had though. All of them were staring at him, and a few looked very proud, like little peacocks. Spencer knew that they had called the cops on him, he just wasn't sure why. Spencer looked back at the pair of cops and saw that the youngest had his hand on his gun. They thought him a threat. Spencer wasn't going to do anything to make them take fire or even draw their guns. He laid his hands in his lap, palms down and fingers spread. 

"What are you doing here?" The older officer asked. They were standing just right to where Spencer couldn't see their names due to the sun. 

_I can't talk,_ Spencer mouthed. 

"I repeat what are you doing here in the park with no children." The officer's tone was getting harder, and he was reaching for his gun now. Spencer thought about the card that some of his verbally or auditory challenged friends carried, but it wouldn't help him at that moment because if he reached for it, he would get shot.

_I can't talk_ , Spencer mouthed again, but still, there was nothing on the officer's faces that said they understood him, or they didn't want to understand him. 

"You have to speak louder," the younger officer said, but Spencer was halted from glaring as Jack ran up to them. He sidestepped the cops and started toward Spencer. 

Spencer watched as the older cop grabbed Jack and pulled him back as Jack's hands were making the sign for Spencer's name. Spencer mouthed the word stay at him, and Jack didn't try and fight out of the cop's hold. This was turning out to be a horrible day. 

"Officers, excuse me." The woman who spoke was wearing an outfit that wasn't made for a day at the park. She was flaunting her money to everyone around her. The child that he had seen with her was dressed just as well and was only watching most of the kids and playing only on things that would not get her dirty. 

"Ma'am, please step back."

"I know the boy. He's damaged mentally, and his father is not here. His father is Aaron Hotchner. I think that this man kidnapped him."

Spencer wanted to ask the woman if she was damaged mentally.

"Is that so?" The older officer asked, and he looked at Spencer with a glint in his eyes.

"Yes. Normally Aaron or Aaron's sister Jessica brings Jack here to play, but today they didn't come with him. Jack keeps looking at this man and then looking away like he's trying to figure out a way to run away."

"Are you the one that called 911?" The younger officer asked.

"Yes. It just didn't seem right."

Spencer realized then that this woman was letting her perception of Spencer color everything, as well as her perceived notion that Jack was severely damaged in a way that made him unable to let it known if he was with someone that he shouldn't be. Spencer resigned himself that he was going to get taken into the local station and processed as a child kidnapper and probably at least booked before someone would get a hold of Aaron and Aaron would straighten it out. The officers would probably not go through Spencer's bag. They would not find the credentials that marked him an FBI agent or the tag on said credentials that marked him as mute. These two wanted the glory of doing something other than catch pickpockets and purse snatchers. Spencer had met many of them over the years. 

"Jack, where is your father?" The younger officer asked, crouching in front of Jack while the older starred Spencer down.

Jack answered with sign language. The woman snorted as if making a point that Jack was damaged. Jack looked at Spencer and then down at his hands. The officers were distracted, so Spencer signed at him to calm down and that everything would be all right. Jack nodded.

"Your father will fix this and save us," Spencer signed quickly. Spencer knew that today was not going to help the hero complex that Jack had for his father but at the moment, Spencer didn't care. He just wanted to be out of this situation. 

"Radio ahead that we are bringing in a kidnapped child who is severely mentally challenged and his kidnapper who is refusing to speak," the older officer said as he drew out his cuffs. "Up and turn around, hands behind your back."

Spencer did as the man asked and watched as the younger officer picked up Spencer's bag and then Jack. Jack struggled until he caught Spencer's eye and Spencer shook his head no. Jack slumped down like he had been defeated and pouted. Spencer listened with only a little bit of his mind as he was read his rights, but the only thing that he could do was nod when the officer asked if he understood his rights. The man frowned like Spencer was scum, and then he was shoved into the back of the police car. Spencer listened as the older officer added to the report that not only was the child mentally damaged but he was so traumatized that he was unable to speak and that they needed a child psychologist to meet them at the station to figure out what had happened to the boy.

A second cop car pulled up, and Spencer watched as Jack was put into the back of it where the female officer was sitting. The younger officer of the pair that had cuffed Spencer was talking to the male officer in the front seat of the other car. Spencer just stared at the officers, uncaring of what they thought of him. 

The drive to the station that the cops were working out of was short, and Spencer was resigned to being treated like an UnSub, and he wasn't looking around when he was pulled from the car but a voice that he knew wafted over the air to him. Spencer looked until he found the person the voice belonged to. It was Will's partner. He was standing and talking to another detective. Spencer saw a rock on the ground, and he stepped on it as he was pulled along, rolling his ankle and falling. He felt the asphalt rip at his face and a trickle of blood start up but it when he looked up it was all worth it as the other Detective looked at Spencer and recognition flashed over his face. He started toward them as the second car with Jack pulled up. 

"Excuse me, what is this man being brought in for?" Detective Wilson asked. 

"He's going in for kidnapping and harming a child. The child with him is so traumatized that he can't speak and this man is refusing to speak. 

"Rodgers, he's a mute. His name is Spencer Reid, and he literally can't speak with his voice, he can only sign. Detective LaMontagne knows him. I've met him once before. Will can probably translate for us, I'll call him."

"He's in possession of a child that is not his. Doesn't matter if he is friends with Detective LaMontagne, he's being booked for kidnapping." 

"Doctor Reid, is that Jack?" Wilson asked.

Spencer nodded, feeling a drop of blood trickle further down his face. The cut had to be bad for it to bleed that much. Spencer looked at Jack who was fighting the lady cop who had him. Spencer made a distressed sounding gasp and Wilson looked over to where Jack was fighting the woman. Wilson stepped past Spencer and the cop who had him and crouched in front of Jack. Jack stopped immediately and looked at him. Wilson handed over his badge and said something to Jack who slumped down and nodded. Wilson stood up before picked up Jack who had the badge clutched in his hands. Spencer sighed in relief because at least Jack knew that someone was on their side. 

The cop who was directing Spencer to a chair was none to gentle about it. He was shoved down into the chair so hard that it scooted across the ground. Spencer watched Wilson take Jack to a different room and set him down into it. It looked like a children's interview room and knew that at least Jack wasn't going to see this get ugly.

"Look, that kid was so scared he wouldn't talk," the older officer said. He was sitting at the desk beside where Spencer was and was filling out a form. "The woman that told us that his name was Jack and who his father was told us that he was mentally damaged. The kid will probably never be able to tell us what this man did to him."

"Jack is not mentally damaged, not in the way that you are thinking. He was diagnosed with traumatic loss of voice and is still recovering from it. That's how he knows Doctor Reid because Agent Hotchner met him to help with Jack since Doctor Reid is mute and has been since birth."

"Agent Hotchner?" The younger officer said. 

"Yes, just like-" Wilson stopped speaking to look around he found Spencer's bag on the younger officer's shoulder and tore it away from him.

"Hey, that is evidence!" The younger officer tried to grab it, but Wilson won and started to dig around. A few seconds later he came up with Spencer's credentials.

"Just like Doctor Reid here is an FBI Agent as well. Good luck gentlemen you just put cuffs on an FBI agent and a legal guardian of the child that you think he kidnapped and molested!"

The sound in the station bullpen stopped at those words and two seconds later the door of the station opened, and Spencer saw Will. Will looked around, and when he saw Spencer, his eyes turned murderous. 

"John?"

"Kid room." Wilson pointed and Will damn near stalked over and opened the door gently. As soon as Jack saw Will, he escaped from the lady cop who was in there and ran to Will. Will picked him up. Will turned around and moved over towards where Spencer was. 

"Wonderful job officers, wonderful job. You just collared a mute FBI agent taking his mute kid to the park. By the way, Agent Hotchner is on his way here right now and wants to know why his soulmate was just collared for child kidnapping and molestation charges. Also, Doctor Reid here is on the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. Don't think that this is going to go away. You are supposed to find ID before you take someone in, and he has both his Driver's license and his FBI credentials on him and guess what, his FBI credentials state that he is mute and that he can use his phone to communicate if needed when someone can't understand sign language." 

Will's tirade into the officers who had taken Spencer into custody was stopped when the Chief came out of his officer. Spencer looked at the man and could tell that he was a no-nonsense man. 

"Detective LaMontagne, what is going on?"

"Sir, Officers Lombardy and Still handcuffed and brought in a mute FBI agent who was taking his kid to the park."

"I heard about the kidnapper and child molester that they caught."

"Yes, well Sir. If they had actually ID'd the man before they left the park, they would have found his credentials." Will held his free hand out, and Wilson set the credentials in it. The Chief came over and looked at them. He looked at Spencer and then the bag. "Where is the phone that this badge is talking about?"

Wilson dug around in Spencer's bag but came up empty.

"He was getting a call on it when we arrived. He set it down, and I put it in an evidence bag," the younger agent said and handed it over to the Chief.

Spencer watched the man open the evidence bag and look at the phone. 

"Code?" The Chief asked. Spencer just raised an eyebrow at the man and jerked his head toward Jack. The Chief handed the phone to Jack who unlocked it with a glare and handed it back. "There are seven missed called from someone named Hotch. And a text. The text says that he and Jessica are on their way and that the family lawyer is on his way as well and that you, Spencer are to keep your fingers still. Detective Wilson, will you please uncuff Doctor Reid and see about a medical kit for his injury. How did Doctor Reid come by the injury?"

Officer Still swallowed and handed over the keys to the cuffs to Wilson. "He stumbled getting out of the car."

Wilson stepped over to Spencer and was gentle as he unlocked the cuffs. Spencer rubbed at his wrists for a few seconds before holding his hand out for his phone. The Chief handed it over. 

" _I stumbled to get the attention of Detective Wilson who I had met before. The officers did not ruff me up._ "

"I thought Hotch told you to be quiet," Will said with a smile before he handed Jack over to Spencer. Jack's arms wrapped around Spencer's neck and his body started to shudder. Will stepped back, taking the others with him. "Jack lost his voice after his mother died while they were in Witness Protection. Agent Hotchner, when he gets here is not going to be nice."

"Any relation to the Hotchner that was a prosecutor years ago? I heard he left law practice."

"For the FBI, it's the same man," Will said.

"I remember how no-nonsense he was back then. I was the arresting officer in a case that he did. I doubt that he's changed that much. Doctor Reid, if you would like to follow me to my office." 

The doors to the station opened, and Spencer couldn't help but look over. Aaron had changed before coming into the station because he wasn't in the jeans with the holes starting in the knees that he had been when Spencer had left. He was in one of his court suits, tie impeccable. Behind him was Jessica who looked like she wanted to spit fire. 

Spencer stood up and nudged Jack's head on his shoulder. Jack looked up and when Spencer nodded towards Aaron Jack looked. Spencer barely had time to set Jack down before he was running toward his father. Jack didn't jump into his father's arms though. Instead, his fingers and hands moved almost too fast for even Spencer to understand. Jack's hands didn't stop, and no one interrupted him. 

"Jack, thank you," Aaron said as he crouched down to be level with his son. Aaron looked at Jessica and smiled at her before looking back at Jack. "Buddy, I know you want to be with Spencer and me right now, but Spencer and I need to talk to the Police Chief and the officers who arrested Spencer. We are going to probably use words that I don't want you to hear, so Jessica is going to take you to get a snack down the road with Detective Wilson, just so that no one accuses her of child abduction and molestation as well." 

Spencer could almost feel the emotions in the room at that moment. It was like the emotions were taking on a life of their own. 

"I'd love to take Miss Jessica and young Jack to get a snack," Wilson said with a smile on his face. He held out his arm, and Jessica picked up Jack and settled him on a hip before she looped her free arm through Wilson's. Spencer widened his eyes at the blush that was creeping up Jessica's face and neck. Spencer looked at Aaron. Aaron was looking at Wilson like he now didn't want Wilson to be the one to take Jessica out. If Wilson passed Jessica's muster and the man did go on a date with her, Spencer did not envy Wilson at all. 

"Agent Hotchner, Doctor Reid, please come with me to my office. Lombardy, Still, Detective LaMontagne, please come as well." The Chief looked like he would instead be doing anything but going into the office to speak with them, but he was going to do it. FBI agents were not trained in Sign Language but the motions for I Can't Speak, Hear, and Talk were all taught to agents. Spencer wondered about how much training or even understanding most regular cops had on dealing with the non-verbal and non-hearing communities. 

Spencer walked to the office right behind the Chief and sat down in the chair that the man offered. Aaron was offered the seat beside him, but Aaron chose to stand behind Spencer. The two officers walked to the far side of the room, and Will took the position that had been offered Aaron when Aaron nodded toward it, smiling at Will.

"Agent Hotchner," the Chief started.

"Actually, I'd rather like to hear from the Officers what happened, first. Then we can get into the politics of this."

"We got a call about a man acting suspicious in the park," the older cop, Lombardy started. "When we arrived, we looked around, and this man was looking at all of the kids for long periods of time. We watched him for a few minutes before approaching him. We started to try and talk to him, and he made gestures that I took as threatening and we told him to lower his hands. He did as we asked. We were approached by a mother who said that she knew the child in question and that he was damaged mentally and that this man was not his father. The kid came running and to stop a riot from happening, we arrested the man on the spot to get him into a car and away from the park. We did not need a whole bunch of parents freaking out because there was a pedophile there."

The Chief looked like he was chewing nails. 

"Spencer, did they attempt to communicate with you?"

Spencer looked down at the phone and then at Aaron. Aaron quirked an eyebrow at him, so Spencer lifted up his phone and turned it on its side so that he could type on it. However, before Spencer could, Aaron lifted the phone away and set down his tablet. Spencer tapped away at it until the speech was already loaded up and ready to go.

" _The officers did not try and offer another way to speak. I was told to talk louder when I tried to mouth words at them and told to lower my phone when Aaron called me. They did not ask if I was unable to speak but instead just held the belief that I was refusing to talk. I know the statistics about resisting even to get the cops to understand something. I knew that in the end, Aaron would be here and we would all be in this position. Because I have not done anything wrong. I have never harmed a child. I would never harm, Jack. The officers responded to a call and let the words of the caller prejudice them against the situation. They walked in with the eyes of men who wanted to get the glory of catching a pedophile and then a kidnapper when they found out that I was not the boy's father. I was not the only person there that had taken a child that was not biologically theirs, but none of the nannies or babysitters were questioned about their watching the children._ "

"He was watching the kids way too close."

"I know that the last time that Spencer and I took Jack to the park for him to play, I watched the kids play more than he did because most parents don't pay that close of attention. My Unit is the unit that is called when kids go missing. I'm the one that has to tell parents that it wasn't their fault when just watching the kids play or watching who was moving around them could have stopped their kids from being taken. I watch because I know what happens to kids who aren't watched and I have already had a serial killer target my son and my ex-wife. I won't lose him to a person who wants to hurt him when I can stop it."

"Was Doctor Reid read his rights?"

"Yes. He nodded that he understood."

The Chief sighed. "When a person is read their rights, the agreeance has to be verbalized, and if they cannot, a card has to be signed. Did he sign the card?"

"No."

"What were you going to do if Detective Wilson had not seen him?"

"Print him and see if he had any priors."

"Without getting a name?"

"I'm sure that I probably would have gone through his bag for ID."

"And when you found the credentials?"

"I don't know."

"You mean that you were not going to look for ID and just print him and arrest him." The Chief sat down in his chair hard and looked at the two officers before he looked at Aaron and Spencer. "Doctor Reid, Agent Hotchner, there is nothing that can be done to take away the memory of your son watching Doctor Reid being arrested. I will make sure that my department is taught what to do in a situation like this."

"You are right," Aaron said almost interrupting the Chief. "However, that does not change what happened. My supervisor will hear about this, and from there the FBI will be making a choice whether to seek charges on this."

"They have no recourse," Lombardy near screamed.

"Actually, yes they do," Will said. He straightened the sleeve of his dress shirt before looking at the two cops. "The BAU is an on-call unit. Even leave is not always guaranteed. If a case had come up and the team was delayed due to him being in the custody of the MPD, bad things could have happened. As it stands, even though papers were not filed, the officers did arrest Doctor Reid."

"I plan to talk to my attorney and see if he thinks we have a chance of winning a case."

"And then no law agency would ever work with Doctor Reid." Lombardy looked pissed but not a what he had done, no he looked pissed about the fact that he was caught red-handed.

" _This isn't going to be because I am an FBI agent, Officer Lombardy but because I am mute. If I had been able to speak and tell you who I am and that I was there with my soulmate's child and able to prove that, we would not be here. The only reason that we are here is that I was unable to defend myself verbally. And don't worry Aaron and I will deal with the woman who called the cops. I have a certainty of who it was, and she will find the knowledge that Aaron has a male soulmate a horrid thing. She hates same-sex couples at least after this, she won't be trying to get into Aaron's pants anymore. Chief, if that is all, I would like to go home and relax. I did not get my chess game in, and my son was looking forward to that. We will have to reschedule it, and Jack will be upset. In this whole thing that is what upsets me the most, that Jack saw me get arrested. I couldn't care less about what happens to me. If this incident disappears, I'll be upset. I want to see the fallout of what happens here."_

"Please," the Chief said.

"The time for talking is over. The FBI will be in contact as well as my lawyer and probably at least a few special interest groups." 

Spencer stood up and waited for the Chief to wave them out. Will followed behind Spencer and Aaron. 

"Wilson sent me a text where he and Jessica are. Once we get there, I'll talk to Wilson, and he and I will go and finish our shift out. I am sorry that this happened, but I am glad that Wilson was here." Will handed over the medical kit from where it had been left behind on the desk that Spencer had been sitting beside. 

"I would rather do this at home but Jessica is expecting us to come and get her and there is too much blood," Aaron murmured as he pushed Spencer toward the chair and forced him down into it. Aaron dropped to a crouch, tilting Spencer's head down to where he could clean the wound. Spencer closed his eyes as Aaron's fingers touched around the wound. He didn't want to see the blood. The sting of the alcohol wipe had Spencer flinching. Aaron kissed the side of his face to calm him down, away from where the scrape was. "You did this really good. I know that head wounds bleed a lot, but this is something else. I think that tonight we will have Jack in our bed at some point."

Spencer nodded his agreement, but he didn't care. Spencer had never been handcuffed like outside of the Academy in a controlled scenario.

"JJ texted me and wanted me to tell you that Applehorn has been briefed and is irate. Expect a call from him, Aaron. JJ only had a few details, but it seems that Applehorn has a brother-in-law that works here and as soon as he realized that you were BAU, Spencer he called Applehorn. It seems that some of the discussion in the bullpen was on speakerphone with him listening in. Applehorn is less than pleased and has already started an investigation into this. While they will not sue, there is I think going to be training for all of MPD on how to deal with various disabled communities. I don't think that I want to be this station when the time comes. I'm just glad that I don't work out of here. Wilson and I were coming here today to talk with a few officers who caught a case that is close to one that we have."

"Spencer and I will discuss whether we want to sue, personally. I have kept up my status to practice law, but I have not cared to actually do it for anything. With Roy, I was too emotional, and there is the saying that a man who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client. I knew that working as my own lawyer would not do well at all, especially since I come off as a bully a lot and bullying an old man on the stand would not be looked on well at all."

There was a chime, and Spencer opened his eyes to look at Will. The man was reading his phone, and then he frowned before grinning.

"The media has already caught wind that a mute man and his son were taken into custody. It seems that one of the women at the park was crowing about getting a child molester and kidnapper caught only for it to backfire on her, and the media is running a story about a mute man unable to talk being taken into custody. I say that if you want to escape this without press, I would leave now."

Aaron looked down at where the blood had dripped off of Spencer's face and onto his clothes. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it over Spencer' body to at least hide the blood for when they went to wherever Wilson and Jessica had gone with Jack. 

"Jack is going to be clingy today, Spencer. He was awful after he got out of WitSec. I just want you to be prepared. I don't know if he is going to latch onto me or you or both of us so just be prepared for a leech."

Spencer nodded. He still had the tablet in his hands and started to turn it around to type on it but stopped when a man stepped up behind Aaron. Spencer looked up at him, getting Aaron's attention. Aaron stood up and glared at the man. 

"If you would like to leave out the side, the press is already outside, Agent Hotchner. Detective LaMontagne can go and get your car."

"No, thank you. I don't mind the press catching us." Aaron looked at Spencer, and Spencer nodded his agreeance. There was a difference between special favors because one was an FBI agent and prejudice when an arrest happened. 

"Well then Jack sends his regards and that however you want to handle this, the FBI will be backing you. He does ask that you wait until..." The officer looked at his phone. "Miss Jareau arrives to help you handle the press." 

Aaron nodded. Will stepped up to Spencer with his messenger bag and Spencer slipped his tablet into it. He was going to talk with his hands to the press. Aaron would translate. A check of his phone as Aaron handed it over told Spencer that Jimmy had seen him get arrested and was worried about him. Spencer messaged him back to check the news that night. Spencer shored himself up for what was to come. It was one thing to face the press on a case. Given his lack of verbal speech, he was never expected to talk to the press, especially since he didn't go out to the crime scenes until after they had been cleared, just to be safe.

"Hotch," JJ said as she swept into the police station. In her hand was a go-bag that Spencer has left at the office. It had a really nice outfit in it. Aaron pulled his jacket off of Spencer's shoulders as JJ stepped close. "Will said that Spencer's clothes were bloody. If you don't want to change so that the effect is more dramatic, I can understand, but just in case I had Morgan run and grab this. Morgan is outside and is going to go with Will to get Jack and Jessica to take them home. I did not think that you would want him in the press circus."

"As always you are perfect, JJ," Aaron said with an amused smile on his face. It didn't reach his eyes though. Spencer looked at his clothes and decided that he wanted to be in better clothes if his face was going to be spread all over the news. He reached out his hand, and JJ handed over the bag. The officer who was Applehorn's brother-in-law was directing him toward a bathroom. This was not anywhere near where he had wanted this day to go, but he would meet it and hope that it helped someone. 


	19. July 2010

Aaron felt warm and content as he laid in bed. He could smell Spencer still laying next to him, but there was something that was nagging at his brain. Aaron forced himself to fuller wakefulness and heard it again. 

Laughter. 

The laughter wasn't coming from where Spencer was laying beside Aaron though, no it was coming from near the foot of the bed. Aaron tried to listen harder, but there was nothing.

Then the laughter sounded again. 

Aaron pressed his eyes closed even tighter because it had been too long since he had heard that sound. Over fourteen months but it was a sound that Aaron would never forget. 

It was Jack's laughter. 

Aaron shifted on the bed some to where he was closer to Spencer, making the movement slow like he was still asleep. Jack didn't stop laughing, and from Aaron's new angle he could see Jack sitting between Spencer and Aaron's legs with a pile of cars. Jack used to do this with Aaron on lazy weekend mornings. He would bring in toys and play on his father's bed until Aaron woke up. Usually, it started a weekend of lazing around and staying in bed until tummies were growling. 

Closing his eyes, Aaron listened as Jack laughed to himself. He soaked in the sound of the first noise that Jack had made in months and months. He would never take for granted the sounds that Jack made for the rest of his life. 

Afraid of spooking the boy and making him shut up, Aaron didn't move again but he did open his eyes to look at Spencer. Spencer was asleep on his stomach again, his face turned away from Aaron with his hands pooled under his head. The pillow was shoved out from under Spencer's head, and instead, he was using his forearms. He slept like that and Aaron loved it because it was a newer thing. The few nights that Aaron had slept in Spencer's bed at his now gone apartment, he had slept like that. It meant that Spencer was finally settling again. 

After the arrest, Spencer had been hesitant in everything that he did, and Aaron hadn't liked it. The scandal of the arrest had been spread loud and far, and it was calling for a massive overhaul of the entire MPD, not just the station house that the two worked in. Once it was made aware that not only was the FBI going to be helping with the overhaul but that several special interest groups were watching with close eyes, Spencer had stepped back from it all, not wanting the publicity. There had been a good bit of extra publicity over the past few cases with the team being in the spotlight, but it had faded a lot on the last case. 

Nightmares were something that Aaron wasn't used to from Spencer, and it had taken Aaron a few nights to realize that Spencer not being in bed when they woke up was not because Spencer was just waking up early, but nightmares were waking him up. Spencer would seek shelter inside of a book or work on something on his laptop that whenever Aaron entered the room, he would stop. 

After that whenever Spencer moved in bed, Aaron woke up and he found out what Spencer felt like and did when he had a nightmare because he couldn't scream. His body would make the motions, but no noise except gasps was made. That first night that Aaron had grabbed Spencer and pulled him close, Spencer had fought him. Spencer was out of the nightmare, so Aaron wasn't worried about being hurt, but he was worried that Spencer didn't want Aaron to comfort him after a nightmare. 

Then, as Garcia would say, the clue bus hit. Spencer had never had anyone comfort him after a nightmare. Spencer knew how to handle himself and how to self-comfort, but he had never had someone to hold him close after a nightmare and make the darkness go away. Aaron didn't force him that night. He left Spencer go away, and he touched him more throughout the day at work. That night, Aaron fell asleep wrapped around Spencer.

When the nightmare started, Aaron was awake instantly, and he started to talk. Aaron didn't try and tell him that he was safe, Spencer knew that he was. No, Aaron talked about their plans for the next weekend off with no case. He talked about anything and everything, and when finally, Spencer was fully awake and running from the bed, he did so only after he had been in Aaron's arms for a little longer than he had the night before. 

Days were more coffee than usual to get through and extra little things to remind Spencer that Aaron was there. 

The next night, Spencer only sat up gasping and allowed Aaron to rub his back and talk nonsense to him. Spencer was covered in sweat, so Aaron coaxed out of his clothes and talked into a cold shower where Aaron didn't stop touching him and wrapped him in a warm towel before they went back to bed. Spencer fell asleep with his head on Aaron's chest to where he could hear his heartbeat. The nightmares lessened over the two weeks after that and Spencer only nestled further into Aaron's arms unless he was sweaty. 

Aaron's nightmares never affected him that much anymore. The dreams of Foyet were long gone, and it was only on horrible cases that Aaron was waking in the night with them. He would typically roll over and pull Spencer close, letting the scent of his soulmate wash over him. 

Jack's nightmares were few and far between, even after seeing Spencer arrested. Aaron had called the school and made sure that they were aware of what happened and his school therapist made house visits to see him twice a week that first week, just to make sure that he wasn't going to get worse. Jack bounced back like most children, knowing that no one was going to take Spencer away from him or Aaron. 

Aaron looked down at Jack again. Jack wasn't paying attention to him. Jack was playing with his cars all over Spencer's legs. Spencer was covered in cars. There was even a roadblock on Spencer's ass. Aaron closed his eyes and listened to Jack laughing to himself. Life didn't get better than this. Aaron knew that Jack would get bored with playing with the cars by himself and wake up one of them soon but until then, Aaron was just going to listen.

The bed shifted, and Aaron opened his eyes just enough to see Spencer moving on the bed, his legs were moving and the cars were falling off. 

"Earthquake!" Jack mock whispered. 

Aaron felt his heart constrict at the word and tears started to form in his eyes. He blinked to clear his eyes as he watched Spencer settle down. As soon as Spencer stopped moving, Jack started to clean up. Jack put the cars back up but cleared the traffic jam, starting to get those cars back down Spencer's other leg. Aaron tracked his eyes up Spencer's body to see misty eyes looking at him under the fringe of Spencer's hair. 

The bed shook, and Aaron tried not to react, his body twitched though.

"Oh, no. Beast!" Jack let loose a long giggle and then there was a chirping meow from Curiosity. Aaron braved a look down to see that Jack had pulled Curiosity into his lap. "I love you, Curiosity."

Aaron was on the verge of tears. 

Before Aaron could even do anything, Spencer was moving. He twisted on the bed and sat up, reaching for Jack. Jack squealed and let go of Curiosity. The cat took off without a single sound.

"PAPA!" Jack screamed as Spencer grabbed him. Spencer laid back with him on his side with Jack tucked between them. His fingers moved up and down on Jack's sides making him scream in laughter. Aaron was stuck still with the word that came out of Jack's mouth. "Daddy, save me!"

Aaron rolled onto his side to grab Jack, but instead of helping, Aaron went for Jack's knees. Jack wiggled until he escaped from Spencer's hold and scooted down the bed to look at the two adults. 

"Not fair," Jack said with a smiling pout. He tucked his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, protecting himself. "Two on one is not fair."

"No, it's not," Spencer signed before he gave a wicked look. Aaron looked at him and Jack and realized that he missed something until Spencer leaned closer and kissed Aaron's lips.

"Ewww, no kissing in bed," Jack complained. 

Aaron laughed, he'd kiss Spencer all day long to hear Jack's complaints as long as he was able to hear them. 

"No kissing in bed," Jack said stronger this time, and he came up and pushed Aaron away from Spencer. He slipped himself between their bodies, and before Aaron could react, again, Spencer's arms were holding him, and Jack was tickling him. Aaron didn't fight out of Spencer's hold even though he could have as Jack's fingers went right for Aaron's weak spots. The laughs spilled from his lips as Jack grinned at him before Aaron rolled out of Spencer's hold and carried Jack with him to hold the boy above his body to where he couldn't reach Aaron's body at all. "Airplane."

"Yeah, buddy. Airplane." Aaron let his arms go slack, and Jack fell down to land on Aaron's chest, screeching as he did. When Aaron looked at Spencer, he saw that he was slipping out of bed. Aaron was about to call out to him, but Spencer shook his head. Aaron frowned internally but didn't show it to Jack. Aaron wrapped his arms around Jack's body, holding his son close. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Daddy. Where did Papa go?"

"I don't know. He'll be back." 

Aaron knew not to make a show about Jack talking. Spencer had talked to him about it and that any stress could cause him to go back to being silent. Aaron enjoyed just laying there with Jack, happy that Jack was talking again. Aaron felt himself start to drift off as he heard soft footsteps in the hall. He looked to see Spencer and Jessica there. Spencer was dressed in Aaron's robe which had been left in the kitchen after he had taken it off after his shower the night before. 

"So buddy, what do you want to do today?"

"Can we stay home? Except for breakfast. I want to go to that place that has chocolate chip pancakes as big as Papa's head. They have that tea that Papa likes as well and that meal with the bacon that you always get. Can we spend the afternoon in the backyard?"

"Sure," Aaron said. He looked out of the side of his eye at Spencer and Jessica in the doorway. Jessica smiled and kissed the side of Spencer's face before she turned away. 

"She'll be back for dinner tonight. I just wanted her to hear Jack talk. She's got plans for breakfast with a few friends and then a lunch date with Wilson."

Aaron nodded as Spencer stepped toward them with a broad smile on his face. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and Jack looked at him. 

"Breakfast out sounds terrific, Jack. You gotta get dressed though."

"Okay," Jack signed as he slipped off of his father and ran out of the room. A minute later he came back with the basket for his cars and cleaned them up off the bed before running out of the place again. Aaron pulled Spencer to straddle his waist. Aaron linked his hands with Spencer before kissing the back of each one.

"I was not expecting that when I woke up today but God, it was wonderful to hear." 

Spencer nodded his head as Aaron wasn't letting go of Spencer's hands. 

"And see, he still talks with his hands to you." Aaron leaned up, sitting all the way up and crossing his legs. Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck after Aaron let go of his hands. "He loves you." 

_I know_ , Spencer mouthed at Aaron. He leaned in for a kiss. Aaron allowed the kiss for a few seconds before he slipped his hands under the robe. Spencer's body was warm from the robe and Aaron could feel himself start to harden. The bedroom door was open, but Jack couldn't see anything. Aaron tightened his arms around Spencer's body, pulling him close. He could feel his filling erection press into Spencer's groin. Spencer gasped and pulled out of the kiss and stared at Aaron. 

"Jack's going to take his time getting dressed, Spencer. So if you want to do this, go lock the door. We have time. I'm not starving yet." Aaron started press kisses down Spencer's neck. Spencer pushed out of Aaron's hold and stumbled to the door, he peeked into the hallway before he shut the door and locked it. Jack knew that it meant that Aaron and Spencer wanted alone time or wanted to get dressed. 

Spencer fingered the robe as he stepped toward the bed. Aaron shook his head. Spencer straddled Aaron's lap again, his hard cock very evident in his sleep pants. Aaron pushed up at his hips, and he leaned up to where Aaron could pull his pants down. 

"Up further," Aaron whispered. Spencer did as he asked and Aaron got his pants down to his knees. Spencer braced his arms on Aaron's shoulders and pushed up to his tiptoes on the bed. Aaron pushed the pants all the way down to Spencer's feet. Spencer settled himself onto Aaron's lap before he pulled the pants off the rest of the way. Aaron nestled his cock underneath of Spencer's ass and groaned at the pressure. 

"What do you want?" Spencer silently asked. 

"Shhh," Aaron said, leaning up just enough to take Spencer's mouth in a kiss. He fumbled his hand out to grab the lube in the nightstand drawer to coat his hand. He took Spencer's cock in hand. "I've seen your cock jump sometimes, when I say dirty things to you, Spencer."

Spencer made that little sound that Aaron loved, and he felt his soulmate's cock jerk in his hand. Spencer leaned back and closed his eyes. Aaron didn't remove his hand from Spencer's cock, but he did wrap the other arm entirely around Spencer to grip him whole body close, and he shifted to his knees. Spencer on instinct wrapped his legs around Aaron's waist, and his arms tightened on Aaron's shoulders. Aaron turned them around to where he was facing the headboard. He let go of Spencer as he settled down again and Spencer's eyes didn't open. Spencer did relax more though as Aaron pushed him back toward the headboard. 

"Unwrap your legs, Love." Aaron helped Spencer settle on his lap with his legs straddling Aaron's body, his cock on display between them. Aaron set up a steady and tight rhythm on Spencer's cock, Spencer's body rubbing on his own very nicely. "If we had more time I'd have you ride me like this. Watching your cock bob up and down as you thrust yourself on my cock. Do you want to try that sometime, Spencer?"

Spencer nodded his head. He let go of Aaron's shoulders and grabbed the headboard above his head. Aaron felt himself getting close already. 

"I want to make you lose control, Spencer. To where I can't even get you to make a single sign with your hands. To where you can't even gasp. Do you want that Spencer?" Aaron didn't even give Spencer a chance to think, to react. "Or do you want to do that to me?"

Spencer thrust down into Aaron's body harder than he had before. Aaron had found a scenario that Spencer liked.

"Do you want to take my speech, Spencer? Gag me and take me apart to where I can't do anything but take the pleasure that you give?"

Spencer came hard, his release nearly splashing on Aaron's face. As Aaron kept stroking his cock through the whole of the orgasm, he bucked on Aaron's lap, making him come as well. Aaron wrapped his clean hand around the back of Spencer's neck and pulled him up to kiss him as they both settled down from their mutual orgasms. 

"Spencer, Love, open your eyes and look at me." Aaron pressed kisses to his cheeks as Spencer's eyes fluttered open. Aaron smiled at him. "Let's go take a quick shower and then we can go out to breakfast. I think that I like Jack's idea of spending the afternoon here and in the backyard. If Jessica wants to join us between her breakfast and her lunch date she can. I'll text her."

Spencer kissed Aaron as his answer and Aaron could feel his happiness in the kiss. Spencer was damned good at that. Spencer was expressive in many ways and not just his hands. Aaron didn't know if it was something that was only brought out because they were soulmates or Aaron was just that perceptive. However, Aaron was looking forward to finding out every single little look and kiss that Spencer had to give to him. 

* * *

There was something about laying in the sun in the middle of the backyard that Spencer really loved. He hadn't had a backyard for too long, and he spent as much time in Aaron's backyard as he could. The older man didn't mind, most of the time he was doing yard work. Spencer might be a genius, but he had a black thumb when it came to plants. He kept a small pot of hens and chickens that the little old lady on the first floor of his old apartment had given him. It had come with him and was in a window in the bedroom at the moment. 

The sun was shining, and Jack was playing soccer on the other side of the yard. The fence between houses had been pulled down, and so Jack had a lot of room to play. At the current, the boy was playing with an imaginary friend that it seemed he had made while mute. Her name was Abigail, and she was older than him. Spencer had listened to Jack chatter about her while they had been eating lunch. Abigail was new to Aaron. Spencer was pretty sure that it was Jack talking to Abigail that had made the boy actual feel safe in verbalizing to the adults in his life. Spencer was just grateful that he was speaking. 

Aaron surmised that it was the aftermath of Spencer almost being thrown in jail that caused it. Jack realized that nothing was going to take Aaron, Jessica, or Spencer away from him. It was kind of good that it happened during the summer months, Jack had time to verbally catch up with his age group so that he would not be shamed for words said wrong. In fact, Jack was doing good on everything. Aaron related that Jack had always been a little ahead of his peers. 

Spencer felt something at his feet and looked down to see Curiosity. His white fur was covered in dirt and twigs. In fact, he looked like someone had dumped dirt on him. 

"Oh, my poor baby. Who covered you in the dirt?" Spencer asked with his hands. Curiosity couldn't answer, but he had learned that it was Spencer talking, so he always responded. Curiosity chirped at him before jumping up onto his chest to rub his face all over Spencer's chin. Spencer pet at him, clearing as much as he could from Curiosity, however not all of it was going away. Some of it was wet and leaving stains in Curiosity's fur. Spencer turned his head to look and saw Aaron looking at him with a frown on his face. 

"Your cat is a tattletale," Aaron said loud enough to where Spencer could hear him. Spencer laughed.

Spencer raised his hands and signed at Aaron. _And you are being mean to my baby._ Spencer turned and focused on Curiosity trying to figure out what Aaron had done to him. He heard Aaron walking toward them. He didn't pay attention until he saw filthy hands on him. 

"Keep on, and I'll do to you what I did to him. He was crying for attention, and I gave it to him." Aaron reached out for Spencer's face, and Spencer wrapped his arms around Curiosity, standing up to get away from Aaron and his filthy hands. He looked over where Aaron had been cleaning out some nasty roots by the look of things. A few steps later, Spencer tossed Curiosity into a pile of weeds that Aaron was going to stick in the back of the property and took off as he realized that Aaron had taken Spencer running from him as a reason to play chase. 

Spencer wasn't dressed in anything good, he was laying out in the sun and had worn what Aaron called his work clothes even though the only thing that Spencer did in them was now. Spencer tried to dodge Aaron when he saw his shadow catching up to him, but Aaron predicted it and his hands wrapped around Spencer's middle, pulling him into Aaron's body. Aaron was laughing as they both crashed to the ground. Aaron rolled them, trying to get on top but Spencer kept moving, and Aaron ended up on the bottom. However, the damage had been done already. Spencer was covered in dirt. 

Pouting down at Aaron, Spencer tried to push himself up to where he was sitting on Aaron, but instead of that, Aaron grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss. Spencer tried to fight out of the hold, feeling Aaron's dirty hands on his face but he really wasn't trying that hard. Aaron was laughing as he pressed their lips together. Spencer wiggled, and as he did, Aaron surprised him by rolling over again, landing Spencer below him. Aaron propped himself on his elbows just above Spencer's face, grinning down at him.

"Now you look like a wild child," Aaron said, ducking down for a quick kiss. Spencer pressed up into it with a smile stretching across his lips. Aaron leaned to one side, and with his thumb, he traced under Spencer's eye. "You look cute."

Spencer crinkled his nose in disgust, but all that made Aaron do was laugh more. Spencer reached up and tugged at Aaron's hair to pull him down again. If Aaron was going to make light of him covered in dirt, Spencer was going to get something out of it. 

"Eww," Jack said with a giggle.

Aaron took his him pulling up and out of the kiss before looking at Jack. Jack was standing with his soccer ball in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He took a drink of the water before offering it to Spencer. 

"Daddy, you made Papa dirty."

"I know."

"You should apologize." Jack thrust the bottle at Spencer again, and Aaron sat up enough to where Spencer could sit up as well. Spencer took the water as he did sit up. 

"What do you think I was doing?" Aaron said with a grin on his face.

"Kissing is not apologizing."

"Sometimes it is. Just like when I kiss your boo-boos better. I'm telling him I am sorry."

"You should clean him up." Jack pulled a towel out from behind his back somewhere. 

Aaron took the towel from Jack, and when his eyebrows went up, Spencer looked harder at the towel. It looked wet. Aaron reached out with the towel, and Spencer tried to take it from him. He wasn't a child, he didn't need to be cleaned up.

"No, Papa. Daddy's got to clean it up. He made the mess." Jack watched with a keen eye as Aaron cleared all of the dirt off of Spencer's face. Spencer felt the blush creeping up his face as Jack turned away from them and went back to playing soccer. Aaron flipped the towel to a dry spot and dried off Spencer's skin. Spencer reached up to take it to finish it, but Aaron wouldn't let go. 

"I am not a child."

"No, you are the love of my life, and I like taking care of you when I can. You take care of Jack and me and have for a long time. I know you are adjusting rather quickly to living with someone who has a kid but this stuff you kind of gotta get used to. Jack used to do things like it with me. He makes funny faces and says eww but he likes seeing affection between us. He's probably still watching us." 

Spencer looked over Aaron's shoulder and confirmed that yes Jack was watching them as he kicked the ball around. There was happiness on Jack's face as Aaron carefully finished drying Spencer's face. Spencer glanced at Aaron as he set down the towel, seeing a slightly wicked look on his face. Spencer watched as Aaron leaned in and pressed dry kisses to Spencer's face where he had coated it in dirt and mud. Spencer shoved him back when it was too much. When the affection was becoming too much. 

Aaron reached up a wiped a tear from Spencer's eye. Spencer didn't even realize that he was crying. 

"There will be a day that when I show you I care for you, it won't overwhelm you. That's when I know you've forgotten was life was like before. When you can't imagine anything but me in your life. Slowly I'll break you down and make you see that you deserve this. Having someone else kiss and make it better. Being able to rely on me to lean on when things go wrong."

Spencer reached up and covered Aaron's mouth with his hand. If Aaron kept on, he was going to lose it and start bawling, and they didn't need that. Aaron pressed a kiss to Spencer's hand. His eyes were dancing with happiness. Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's back and pulled him into his lap. Spencer wrapped his legs around Aaron and raised up his hands to trace Aaron's face. 

Aaron closed his eyes as Spencer's fingers brushed his hairline. Spencer had only done this when Aaron was asleep. Spencer knew braille, and his fingertips were very sensitive because of it. He wasn't sure if he had ever told Aaron that he knew braille. There really was a lot that Spencer knew that Aaron didn't know that he knew, not because Spencer was trying to keep it a secret but because there was just so much in Spencer's head. 

Spencer traced every single pore of Aaron's forehead before dropping down to his cheeks. Aaron's smile became slack with pleasure at the simple touches. From cheeks, Spencer went to the neck. Aaron was swallowing a little more than normal, probably in an effort not to speak. After neck Spencer went to ears. Aaron startled a little at that, but his eyes didn't open. Spencer leaned in and kissed Aaron, wetting his lips just before. Aaron reacted to the kiss but didn't try and control it, but his lips turned into a pout when Spencer pulled back. Spencer brushed his fingertips over Aaron's eyebrows before tracing around the edge of the eye and down under. Aaron's eyes were still closed, so he traced the eyelids lightly. Aaron moaned, but it wasn't in arousal but just in bone-deep pleasure. Spencer's fingers met at the top of his nose and traced down the sides of it and back up, not letting a single centimeter to go untouched. Spencer swept his thumbs up the underside of Aaron's nose right around the nostrils, and he felt Aaron trying to pull, but Spencer stopped him by grabbing the sides of his head to hold him. 

Aaron's eyes fluttered open for a second, but when he saw Spencer near glaring at him, he relented and settled, closing his eyes again. Spencer traced around the philtrum before sliding down to trace around the rest of Aaron's lips. Chin was next, and Spencer could tell that Aaron wanted Spencer to touch his lips. Spencer traced up Aaron's jaw as he leaned in. Spencer knew that Aaron could feel every single exhalation of Spencer's and he wondered how long it would take for the man to take what he wanted. 

It was several minutes of them sharing breathe before Aaron moved, but he didn't push his lips into Aaron's. Instead, Aaron grabbed Spencer's hands and pulled back to where he could touch Spencer's fingertips to his mouth. _Please,_ Aaron mouthed at Spencer. Spencer finished his exploitation of Aaron's face, 

Aaron licked his lips then he took the kiss that Spencer had been offering. Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck, not letting the man pull back until he wanted to. 

An insistent bumping into Spencer's side told him that Curiosity was jealous and wanted attention. Aaron laughed as he pulled back because Curiosity was growling at them. Spencer gently slid backward on Aaron's lap until he landed on the ground and Curiosity jumped up into Spencer's lap. 

"I'll bring you that book you were reading earlier if you want to stay here. I need to get back to weeding. Do you want tea first?"

"Please," Spencer signed. 

Aaron grinned at Spencer before standing up and trotting off. 

Two minutes later, Aaron was coming back with a glass of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Aaron handed them both over, ruffling at Spencer's hair as he did. Spencer glared at Aaron but softened it when Aaron stuck his tongue out. 

Spencer rolled onto his stomach and set the book down to where he could read. Curiosity jumped onto his back to give himself a bath. 

Time lost meaning as Spencer lost himself in another world. Aaron was working on the far side of the yard, and Jack was in Jessica's yard still kicking his ball around. As the sun moved across the horizon, Spencer finished off his book. He looked around for his lover and saw that Aaron wasn't in sight, so he was either inside the house for a few minutes or around the front. Spencer felt that CUriosity was gone from his back. He stretched out his muscles and relaxed down to where his head was propped on his hands as he looked at Jack, who was sitting on Jessica's back porch. 

The sound of something rustling in the bushes has Spencer turning to look. Curiosity didn't like to go into the bushes as it got nature all over him and with Aaron already making him dirty, Spencer was shocked that he was in the bushes. Spencer pushed himself up to where he could get his legs under himself but wasn't able to get up all the way before whatever was in the bushes started toward him. Spencer wrapped his hand around the bush to use it if it wasn't Curiosity. Spencer really hoped it was his cat. If it was a hurt wild animal that came under the fence or something, Spencer wouldn't be able to scream for help, and his phone was on the back porch. Something dark pushed out of the bush and Spencer started to raise up until pure white came behind. 

It took a few seconds for Spencer to realize that Curiosity was carrying something that wasn't all that small out of the bushes. The thing in his mouth was fluffy, just like Curiosity and pure black but covered in mud, leaves, and what looked like burrs. Curiosity gingerly stepped toward Spencer and waited for Spencer sit with his legs crossed before he dropped the thing in Spencer's lap. It wasn't until it started to move that Spencer realized that it was still alive. It did a meow like chirp that Curiosity did, and Spencer realized it was a kitten.

Spencer reached out and picked up the towel that Aaron had used on him and grabbed the bottle of water that either Aaron or Jack had dropped off while Spencer had been lost in the book. He dumped some of the water out and started to clean the poor kitten's face. It kept on meowing as Spencer cleaned it up. Spencer tried to be gentle as he started to work on the burrs in the kitten's fur but there was only so gentle one could be when the burrs were matted in. 

The kitten got more and more vocal as Spencer worked on his fur and cleaning it out, so Spencer wasn't shocked when Jack came over. 

"Papa, is that a kitten?" Jack asked as he crouched down. He didn't reach out to touch, but he got as close as he felt safe to. He stared at the kitten for a few seconds before looking at Curiosity. "Did you rescue him?"

Curiosity meowed before he started to lick his paws.

Spencer wasn't sure if it was a boy, but he understood Jack not wanting to call the kitten an it. Spencer ran his fingers over the kitten's fur to make sure that he got all of the burrs and found one just under his chin that he been missed. It was a different burr and was sharp, and it looked to be embedded into the kitten's skin. Spencer knew that he would probably get scratched for what he was going to do, but he did it anyway. As he gently jerked the burr-free, the kitten hissed at Spencer and got him with all four sets of claws. Spencer gently pulled his hand away, gasping at the blood that was starting to spill out of his skin. Jack jumped up and took off running, he stopped when he didn't see his father. 

"DADDY!" Jack yelled. He looked around frantically. "DADDY HELP!"

Spencer closed his eyes because now Aaron was going to come running and he was going to think the worst. Spencer looked back down at the kitten and forced the little thing to tilt its head up to where he could see how bad it was bleeding under his chin. The kitten gripped onto Spencer's hands with all of his claws as he tried to fight but Spencer was gentle and insistent, and the kitten relented. There was just a drop of blood forming, but it was almost dried so Spencer wasn't worried about the kitten bleeding more than it should be. 

Aaron's stomping feet as he ran sounded and Spencer looked up to see him looking around the backyard, he wasn't sure what Aaron was expecting.

"Daddy! Papa found a kitten, and it's hurt." Jack seemed half in tears, and Spencer wondered what Jack thought was wrong with the kitten. 

Aaron walked toward them slowly like he was scared of upsetting the kitten. He crouched down before sitting on his shins in front of Spencer. The kitten saw him and freaked out, finally sinking his teeth into Spencer's hand as well. Aaron reached out like he was going to grab the kitten, but Spencer held out his hand to stop him. Aaron stopped, but he looked upset at it. The movement freaked the kitten out more, and it bit and clenched with his claws harder. Spencer kept Aaron back with his hand before he started to pet the kitten's head. It made the poor thing start to clench harder, but after he realized that no pain was coming, he relaxed. Spencer still didn't move his hand until the kitten started to lick at the spots where it had drawn blood. 

"Did I scare him?" Jack asked, his voice a whisper.

"It's okay, Jack. You were trying to help. He's just so small that he's scared because we are so big. Why don't you come and help me get things to clean him up."

Spencer nodded his agreement and laid his hand back down so the kitten could keep on soothing his wounds. It didn't really help, it actually hurt, but the kitten was calm while he was doing it. And after moving the kitten around a little, he could tell that it was a male. Curiosity stayed right there, a silent sentry. A few minutes of licking Spencer's hand and the kitten was done. He wanted to move around and explore. Spencer let him. Curiosity would nudge him back toward Spencer if he wandered too far, but the kitten didn't like to get too far away from Spencer. 

Ten minutes later the two Hotchner men finally came back out of the house with each of them holding a bowl and towels over their arms. As they got closer, Spencer realized that it wasn't towels on Jack's arms but rags. Two different ones. 

"I thought that we could give him a bath out here right now to get the majority things off of him and not traumatize him by bathing him like you do Curiosity. That can come later." Aaron sat down and took Jack's bowl from him so that he could sit down as well, without wearing the water. The kitten came over to investigate the two newcomers. Aaron held out his hand, and the kitten sniffed at it before Spencer picked him up. Jack dunked a rag in the water in front of him before ringing it out a little and handed it over. Spencer used the sightly sopping rag to wet the kitten down and start to scrub on him. The kitten kept trying to run, so Spencer let him escape and assert his freedom before grabbing him again. 

It was fifteen minutes of scrubbing with the rag before Spencer grabbed the bottle of Dawn that Aaron had grabbed. There were a few fleas on the poor kitten so the Dawn would help with that as well as the dirt left on him. 

"I would say that this guy has been outside for a few days given how matted his fur is. We can take him to Curiosity's new vet. If he was lost from home, someone will go there and tell because I don't see him getting that far away."

"Do we have to give him up?" Jack asked.

"Only if someone claims him. If no one does, we will keep him. He could have gotten out of an opened window or clawed through a screen. If some kid lost his kitten, we wouldn't want to keep them apart."

"No. I'll go and get the carrier from the hallway." Jack jumped up and took off the kitten tried to run after him, but Aaron grabbed him.

"He's an active little guy." Aaron helped keep him close while Spencer used the water in the bowl to rinse him off. "You know that if someone does claim him, Jack's going to be upset and we are going to have to get him a kitten."

"Given the ear tufts and how big his paws are, I would say that the kitten is a Maine Coon just like Curiosity. Given how big he is, I would say that he's barely old enough to be away from his mother."

"He's so big. But when I looked up the Maine Coon breed, I did see how big they are even from kittens." Aaron grabbed the kitten up when Spencer had all of the soap out of the kitten's fur. He settled the squirming thing into the towel and started to dry him off. As soon as the kitten realized what Aaron was doing, Spencer could hear him start to purr. Spencer reached out and brushed the fur on the kitten's free head. 

"We can't call him kitten, so until we have to give him up, we are going to call him Midnight," Jack said as he set the carrier down next Aaron. 

"Midnight, huh?"

"He's all black, and even his eyes are dark. He's like a ninja, but I know you won't let me call him ninja so Midnight will have to do."

Spencer kept his laughter to himself, but he saw that Aaron was trying not to laugh as well. 

"Are we going to get Midnight checked out?" Jack asked as he plucked the kitten from the towel where he was dried off. Jack laughed as Midnight rub his face all over the boy's. It was charming, and Spencer knew that Aaron was right, if this kitten was claimed, they would have to go and find a new one for Jack.

Hours later, after the visit to the vet and Jack was settled in bed for the night, Spencer and Aaron were sharing a shower. Spencer was pressed chest first into the wall with Aaron's cock rubbing up and down his cleft and his cock in Aaron's hand. Aaron was panting in his ear when they both hear a meow. 

Aaron groaned, but he didn't pull away. "Go away, Curiosity." Aaron moved, and Spencer heard the curtain on the tub move. However, another meow sounded. Aaron pulled back, and both him and Spencer turned and looked. Curiosity was sitting on the edge of the tub with Midnight beside him.

"Are you kidding me?" Aaron asked before he buried his face in Spencer's neck. "I can't do this with them watching."

Spencer started to laugh. He couldn't barely breathe as he felt Aaron's cock deflating. He felt bad he did but of all of the bad traits for Curiosity to teach the kitten, it had to be watching Aaron in the shower, while they were having sex. They would have to start making sure that the cats were not in the master bedroom at all. If Curiosity wasn't in the master bedroom, he didn't cry to join Aaron so if they wanted shower sex, they would have to keep the two cats out of the bathroom.


	20. August 2010

Aaron was drying his hair and looking at himself in the mirror. There was no gauntness in his eyes anymore. He looked truly happy, and it was kind of startling. A meow from his left drew his eyes down to Midnight. The kitten hadn't been claimed, and in fact, after taking her to the vet, they found out that the mother and other two kittens of the litter had been found dead in a yard after the mother had been hit with a baseball bat, as well as the other two kittens. The kids who had done it had been lectured thoroughly, and they admitted that they had only been able to catch two of the kittens. The third had run, and it seemed that it had been on its own for two days. The vet was happy that it was found and she did a full check up on the poor thing. And so a new file was created at the vet's office for Midnight Reid-Hotchner, Jack's influence and Curiosity got a brother. 

Curiosity was doing well with the kitten, thankfully Curiosity wasn't fully grown yet and still liked to play. The cat was also teaching all of his bads habits to Midnight. Midnight though had taken it a step further and whenever Aaron was in the bathroom, even just to pee, Midnight had to be there. 

Midnight was currently curled up in Aaron's clean underwear that he had set out to change into before leaving the bathroom. The rest of his clothes were in the bedroom, to save them from getting black hair all over them. His underwear was easy to shake out. Midnight had claimed Aaron as his favorite human. While he would cuddle with Jack if no one else were around, he claimed Aaron when Aaron was home. Spencer found it really funny as the kitten wanted little to do with him unless it was feeding time. 

"You are a menace," Aaron said as he reached over to pet the purring kitten. Aaron wasn't sure he thought that Midnight was going to be bigger than Curiosity, his paws were huge already, and while Aaron had not meet Curiosity when he was this age, he already seemed to be growing a lot after a good few weeks of good food. A costly food at that. Spencer bought food that was designed with Maine Coon cats in mind with the problems they could have later in life, and the food had the vitamins and minerals that were close to what the cats ate in their natural habitat. Aaron had nearly choked the first time that Aaron had seen how much the kitten version of the food was. There were even treats that there was a strict amount of how many they could eat in a day. Aaron loved to tease Spencer about it all because he would usually blush and duck his head which to Aaron was adorable. Curiosity was Spencer's baby, and Aaron wasn't going to deny him anything he wanted for him. MIdnight was fast becoming Aaron's baby as well. The kitten always seemed to know when Aaron was home and would greet him before demanding to be picked up. Spencer said that Midnight remembered that Spencer had been the one to clean him up and it had hurt when he had removed the burrs, so that was why Spencer wasn't his favorite human. Jack didn't care because when Aaron and Spencer weren't home, Midnight like Jack and that was all that mattered. 

Aaron remembered the night before when he had been the one on kitchen duty after dinner. Spencer and Jack had cooked, so that meant that Aaron cleaned up. Aaron had washed dishes while listening to Spencer and Jack dancing in their socks in the living room. Aaron had figured out Spencer's reason for that. As school got closer, Jack was becoming less and less interested in pick up soccer games, so he needed exercise and Jack didn't realize that dancing was exercise, yet. Aaron usually slung a tea towel over his shoulder to have it right where it could be grabbed while he was washing dishes and he always put it over his left shoulder but Midnight had claimed that shoulder. He had demanded to be picked up and walked from Aaron's right side to the left to flop over Aaron's shoulder to watch him do dishes. Aaron had grabbed the cat twice thinking he was the towel. The unfortunate thing had been near soaked when Aaron was done with dishes and Aaron had to get a new tea towel to dry him off, which just made his very fluffy fur stick up in weird spots. Midnight had slunk off after Aaron had put him down and when he had been spotted again, Curiosity was cleaning him and making the hair look even worse. 

A letter stretched out on the counter caught Aaron's attention. It was odd to see a handwritten letter. Aaron picked it up, curious about it until he saw the first name. It was for Spencer. Aaron dragged his eyes down the page, and it was only signed with Mom. Spencer never took his mom's letter out of the office. When the mail came, if there was a letter from Diana Reid, it went up into the office with the bills. Aaron couldn't understand why Spencer would have one in the bathroom of all places. Aaron quickly dressed in his underwear, picking up Midnight and cradling him in his arm as he picked up the letter. He had planned on just taking it to the office when he spotted a few teardrops on the letter. Aaron remembered the night before when while Aaron and Jack had started to watch a movie to begin winding down for the night, Spencer had gone upstairs and hadn't come back down for a while. Aaron had assumed he had got a little lost reading a new book, but now with the letter in the bathroom and the tear stains on it, Aaron knew what had happened. Spencer's last letter from his mother had come just before a case, and Aaron remembered Spencer opening it and his eyes scanning it quickly before he folded it back up and slipped it back into the envelope. Aaron had offered to drive them in so that he could write her back. Spencer had just waved him off. 

Aaron hadn't thought about it, and he usually wouldn't violate Spencer's privacy, but he wanted to know what had caused Spencer to cry while reading the letter. He moved into the bedroom with the letter in hand and sat down on the bed. Spencer was outside with Jack doing something science related that couldn't be done inside, and really if Spencer thought that it shouldn't be done inside, Aaron really didn't want it done inside. He didn't expect to see them for an hour, it was why Aaron had chosen to take his shower then. Midnight slinked up Aaron's arm and moved to lay down over Aaron's shoulder. The letter wasn't all that long, but from the first sentence, Aaron felt a pit forming in his stomach. By the time that he got to the end, he knew what had made Spencer cry. Diana was refusing to see them when they went to Vegas that next week. Spencer had the whole tripped planned out from the days in Vegas to the days in LA. Jack wanted to see the places that Spencer had gone to when he was growing up. Aaron was intrigued to see them as well. 

The whole of the trip was for Aaron and Jack to meet Diana though, and it seemed that Diana refused to meet the agent that Spencer had chained himself to, her words in the letter. There was some rambling about how the agent had tricked Spencer into believing that they were mates and it was all to get to her. Aaron knew that her delusions were strong, but he hadn't thought that they were this strong. Spencer hadn't brought up the letter at all and Aaron wasn't sure that he wanted to. Spencer wasn't secretive with his mother as he talked about her a lot but this was something that Spencer was keeping to himself. Aaron knew that he had violated Spencer's privacy by reading the letter, but he was happy that he had. If Spencer was just going to go on like normal and they were going to go to Vegas, Aaron wanted to be ready for when Jack could no longer be denied on why they weren't going to see Spencer's mom. 

Jack had never known Aaron's parents. That was a good thing, and he missed Haley's parents, but even with the few supervised visits that Child Services had covered with Jessica refusing to see her father and mother, those had not gone well, and Jack had asked the lady to take him away. Diana was the only sort of grandparent that Jack had, and Aaron wasn't sure that the boy would ever get to meet her. He hoped that Spencer wouldn't force their visit on her, but he could see why his lover might. He knew her better than anyone in the world, but Aaron didn't want Jack to be scarred by a visit with her. 

There was nothing to do but wait and see what was going to happen when they went to Vegas the next week. 

"I think that he's going to need me more now than ever," Aaron said to Midnight as he pulled the kitten off of his shoulder as he started to get dressed. Aaron set the letter back in the bathroom and didn't even try and put it back where he had got it. He spun it a little like Midnight had rubbed against it or something. Given the rest of the damage that had been done to the room, it was totally understandable that Midnight would have knocked the letter around. 

Aaron plastered a smile on his face as he left the room with Midnight back over his shoulder and found his lover and his son in the backyard both of them smiling and their shoulders shaking with laughter. 

* * *

Aaron remembered as the plane touched down why he hated commercial flights. He hated not knowing the pilots as well as he did the BAU pilots and he hated that he wasn't able to move around like he wanted and cuddle with Spencer on the couch. Jack had been seated between the two of them for the whole flight, so the only touching that they got to do was when Spencer laid his hand on Aaron's lap after Jack had fallen asleep. It was an afternoon flight, but the forced sitting had made the boy go to sleep through sheer boredom about an hour into the flight. Aaron knew that it would mean they landed, they would have a wired Jack on their hands. The good thing was that Spencer was taking them to his favorite place to eat dinner and then to a park that he had spent a lot of time at as a kid. It would give Jack a chance to wake up all the way and then run off all of his energy. With Vegas being behind them in time, it was going to mess with Jack's clock worse than anyone else's. Aaron and Spencer were used to the back and forth across the country and the three hour time difference and working around it. 

The rush through baggage claim and to find the car that Spencer had rented for them was easy. It was actually just about as painless when they flew for work. However, there was no SUV waiting for them. Spencer had instead rented a Jeep for them, a hard top one that the doors and roof were removed as soon as they started to throw their things into it. Aaron looked at the driver's seat and wondered what Spencer would do if he wanted to drive. Jack was strapped into a booster seat in the back, even though he was a little big for it, it gave him the height needed to see around everything. 

"I learned to drive a Jeep on the Cal-Tech campus as part of one of my classes. As I was too small to do some of the more sensitive things in the engine and didn't have enough strength yet to work on them, I was taught to drive them. Don't worry, Aaron. I won't take us out in the desert in it. Not today." Spencer smiled as he talked with his hands, Aaron shook his head at him. He had not seen this side of his soulmate before. 

"Papa told me about how he used to on occasion go mudding with friends from the FBI, the few that he made at the Academy, but many of them left the area, so he hasn't been in years. That's why he rented the jeep. And so I could feel the wind in my hair," Jack offered as he climbed into the Jeep. Spencer shrugged when Aaron looked at him. Aaron knew that Spencer loved the car that he had drove from Vegas to DC but wondered if he would want a Jeep instead. Aaron had seen an add for the Rubicon and how it could be modded and that there was even a shade of purple of it. Aaron thought about how feasible that would be for a first Christmas gift and if Spencer would nearly kill him for such an extravagant gift. The Avalon was a good car, but it needed to be in the hands of someone like Dave who restored cars and had the time for it.

"That sounds like it would be fun."

"Papa even said that tomorrow afternoon we are going to get in a dune buggy and go for a ride in the desert."

"I think that maybe I should have been more involved in the plans for this trip," Aaron said with a smile. Spencer ducked his head and blushed as he pulled himself up and into the Jeep, strapping himself down. Aaron walked around the Jeep and pulled himself up into it. Aaron had never ridden in a Jeep before. Not one that the doors came off of. Aaron wasn't worried about Spencer driving. The man would never let Jack in the Jeep if he had any worries about his own driving of it. 

Spencer pulled his phone from the bag he had slipped behind Aaron's seat and pulled out his phone. He started to tap into it, and when he laid it in the cup holder, it started to speak. 

"Wouldn't have made a difference. I was getting a Jeep no matter what, and we are in the desert, dune buggies are a must. Jack wanted to see what I did. I didn't do dune buggies as much here, but when I was home on the weekends to visit mom, I would do it."

"You didn't have a license, Spencer. How did you do that?" Aaron asked. 

"When you can fix pretty much whatever goes wrong in a dune buggies and all you ask to have some driving one? Not a lot of adults turn that down, and I never wrecked or damaged the units. I was never caught."

"Makes me wonder what else you did that was illegal all because you were too young to legally do it." Aaron knew that Spencer had a new feature on his phone to delay messages by even upwards of two or three minutes, but his ability to do it with a conversation with Aaron was shocking. He had known exactly what Aaron was going to ask. "But dune buggies do sound fun. I've never done it or mudding."

Spencer smiled at Aaron as he pulled out onto the street from the airport. Aaron looked out opened air of the car to look all around at the area of the Vegas surrounds they were in. Aaron had been to Vegas for several cases, some that went really bad and some that went as good as a case could go. He'd never been there for pleasure. He had never got to play around in the casinos, which wasn't going to possible this time either as they had no one to watch Jack, but he would at least get to enjoy himself. 

"Papa, where are we going again?"

"Binion's," Aaron answered. Spencer was concentrating on driving. Aaron had heard nothing except Spencer wanting Chicken Fried Lobster for dinner for days. Aaron knew that it was a meal that Spencer usually ate with his mother, taking her out of Bennington for a meal at their favorite place. Aaron wasn't sure if Spencer was taking them there alone because it's what he wanted or because of his mother's staunch refusal to meet Aaron and Jack. Aaron had not brought that up yet. He wanted to wait and see what happened. He didn't want to upset Spencer if Diana changed her mind. 

Dinner was a simple affair with Spencer keeping Jack entertained over the whole of the meal. The next two days were the same way. There was so much that Spencer wanted to show Jack that the thought of seeing Diana didn't pop up into Aaron's head until the morning of their last day in Vegas. 

Aaron looked out the window of the hotel room to see that it was still dark. He looked around the room but Spencer wasn't in the room, and the bathroom connected to their room was dark. Spencer had got them a suite so that Jack had his own room and bathroom while Spencer and Aaron had their own. Aaron grabbed his shorts from the floor beside the bed. After a late night at a show with Jack, Aaron hadn't even dressed after a shower. He'd just grabbed a pair of shorts and dropped them off the side of the bed so he could grab them if Aaron needed to put them on. 

Spencer wasn't in the bathroom, and Aaron did check. Then the sound of Spencer's tablet voice came from the main area of the room. Aaron slipped out into the room, in a corner that was dark. Spencer didn't have a light on at all. Instead, he was sitting in a chair at the desk in the corner. His tablet was propped up, and he was typing one handed on it with the phone pressed to his ear. He was curled into the chair, as small as he could get.

" _Mom, they are not coming in to interrogate you. It's my soulmate and his son. He just wants to meet you. Jack's excited to meet his new grandma._ "

Aaron inhaled and exhaled slowly because he didn't want to miss anything that Spencer said after his mother said whatever she said. Even though there was no change in tone of the voice from the tablet, Aaron could tell that Spencer was desperate. 

" _Then what about Jack and I come? Just the two of us. I can have Aaron go to the casino and gamble away some money_." Spencer was upright for a few seconds before he slumped down more. Spencer's hand left the tablet, and it reached up and wiped at his face for a second before his other hand slumped down, and he pressed the call end button. Aaron slipped back into the bedroom and got into bed. He rolled onto his side facing the side that Spencer had been sleeping on and waited. He hoped that Spencer got back into bed and allowed Aaron to comfort him. Aaron felt tears prick at his eyes. If he had known that this was going to be the way that things went, he never would have agreed to come to Vegas. Spencer was heartbroken, and there is nothing that Aaron could do to make him feel better. 

Spencer entered the room and shut the bedroom door, but he didn't come toward the bed. Aaron listened as the bathroom door opened and shut. The water in the shower kicked on, and Aaron pushed the blankets off of the bed. Spencer was hiding from Aaron, not knowing that Aaron was awake. Aaron knew that if he stayed out of the bathroom, Spencer would come out with a smile on his face and the story that his mother was having a bad day and she didn't feel well so they could spend the day doing some light shopping around. Aaron just wasn't sure if it was his right to push himself into something that Spencer was acting like he wanted to have nothing of Aaron in. 

But there was no way that Aaron was going to let Spencer hurt without at least trying to make him hurt less. Spencer could kick him out of the shower and shove him, probably even hit him and Aaron would still try and hold him close to make him feel better. Aaron would take whatever Spencer did to him just to make Spencer feel better. 

Aaron knew that he needed to be in there with him, so he pushed himself out of bed and hoped that Spencer had not locked the door. Aaron dropped his shorts off so that he wouldn't have to do anything once he got into the bathroom. He put his hand on the knob and sent a prayer up to a God that he no longer believed in and turned the knob. The soft click of the latch bolt turning sounded, and Aaron slipped into the room. The lights were off except for the nightlight that Spencer had installed just in case Jack came into their room. It lit up the room enough for Aaron to realize that Spencer wasn't in the shower. The glass was opaque from about lower chest on Spencer and Aaron and down but above it was clear and there was no Spencer. Aaron looked around the room and realized that there were no clothes on the floor. There was a window that had some kind of opaque design on it just above the toilet in the corner and Aaron hoped that Spencer had slipped out there. The window was shut. It wasn't a big bathroom, with little places to hide. Aaron stepped over to see if Spencer had tucked himself into a corner when he saw that Spencer was slumped on the floor of the shower with his face buried in his knees. His whole body was shaking. 

Opening the door to the shower, Aaron hoped that Spencer could hear him. He didn't want to surprise him. He also didn't want to disturb the silence of the room. Aaron felt the water on his skin and realized that Spencer hadn't turned the hot water on enough. Aaron turned the hot knob more wondering if the shaking from Spencer was from cold or tears. It didn't matter because soon the water would warm up. Aaron pulled the door shut with a louder thud and waited. Spencer didn't move. Aaron had never felt so unsure of himself before now. The water started to warm up, but Aaron turned the knob a little more before he sat down beside Spencer and wrapped him in his arms. Spencer was so cold, and the T-shirt that he was worn to bed was soaking wet. 

Spencer didn't look up or do anything really. Aaron sighed and reached around to start to work Spencer's shirt up his body. After a minute, Spencer uncurled enough to allow the sodden shirt to be removed from his body. When Aaron shifted to kneel in front of Spencer to work his pants off it was easier as Spencer lifted himself up to where Aaron could get the pants down the swell of Spencer's butt. It was easy from there because Spencer didn't get leaned in enough to his knees to stop Aaron. Aaron tossed the pants into the corner before grabbing the shirt and doing the same thing. When they were done, he would hang them up to dry off. 

"Look at me, Spencer." 

Spencer shook his head no and his arms around his legs tightened. Aaron settled in at Spencer's side again and wrapped both arms around his soulmate. As the water falling on them warmed up, even more, some of the tremors in Spencer's body stopped but not all of them. Aaron was pretty sure that Spencer was sobbing now. 

"We'll make plans for a weekend later. Jack's seen everything that we wanted to see, and today we can go shopping. We can ship everything back home, so we don't have extra luggage." 

Spencer didn't even raise his head up but his hand unwrapped from around his legs, and he made two signs at Aaron. 

"No, I will not go away. For you to make me go away, you are going to have to hurt me to do it by telling me that you don't want Jack and me anymore. Can you lie like that Spencer? Can you tell me, while looking me in the eye, and tell me that you don't love me anymore? I get that your relationship with your mom is private, but this trip was meant to introduce me and her and Jack. If she's refusing to meet us, that is fine. I don't care because we are having fun. We can tell Jack that she's not feeling well. He'll understand. You did well at giving him as much information as he needed and could understand her illness, Spencer. He'll be sad for a moment but then shopping will be on his mind he'll be fine. Kids are resilient, and Jack wants to be happy. He's not going to focus on things that upset him." Aaron looked down at Spencer's hands, but there were wrapped around his legs again. At least he wasn't telling Aaron to go away again. 

Aaron wasn't prepared for Spencer to turn around and near launch himself at Aaron. Aaron had barely a few seconds to breathe before he had Spencer in his lap and wrapped around him. 

"I want to protect you from everything that can hurt you, Spencer but I know that I can't, but I can be there and help you feel better. I can make you smile and kiss your boo-boos away. I can shelter you from people who upset you and make them go away, but I can't make your mom accept us, no matter what she does love you, Spencer. Remember that. She just needs time to accept me. We can sit here for however long you want to, and then we can go and find a place that will have some ridiculous coffee that makes you smile and will feed the bottomless pit that Jack has become while we are here." 

Aaron stopped to take a breath, but he decided to just hold Spencer and let the hot water cascade over them. This he could do, until Spencer let him know what exactly what he needed. 

* * *

Spencer smiled as he watched Jack in the park after lunch. It was nice to see Jack engaging with kids that were not his group back home. Jack was slow to add kids to the category of friends in the wake of getting his voice back, even if the boy was a little more silent than he had been before. Aaron wasn't too worried, just happy that Jack was back to normal, or whatever passed for a new normal in the wake of losing his mother. Jack's easy acceptance of Spencer in their life, even if he didn't like Spencer made think about what he had done to make his father not want him. 

Aaron was keeping a close eye on Jack as he played off the energy from eating lunch. That allowed Spencer to introspect. He really had thought that his mother would change her mind once they got to Vegas. Or at least see him and Jack. Diana Reid had wanted grandchildren since Spencer had turned twenty-five and her now refusal to see the only grandchild she was ever going to get was shocking to Spencer. 

"Hey, why don't you lay down?" Aaron asked, touching Spencer's shoulder. Spencer turned to look at him and saw that he was smiling. Aaron had been smiling all day, despite what he had come into the bathroom to. Or in spite of it, Spencer wasn't sure. Spencer had not wanted Aaron to ever see him like that. Spencer had been strong through everything, he didn't like being seen as weak and crying over his mother's refusal to accept his family was weak. Aaron hadn't made him feel weak though. Aaron had made him feel loved, holding him and caring for him. Making him get out of his soaked sleep clothes and then after when Spencer couldn't cry anymore, Aaron washed him. Even though Aaron used a rag to wash him, he let his hands touch as much as they could. Spencer tried to return the favor when he was clean, but Aaron just pushed him away, citing the shower the night before. Spencer was treated to the same care when he had been dried off by Aaron and when he couldn't take it anymore, and Spencer wrapped himself around Aaron, Spencer had begged him silently never to leave him. 

Aaron scooted down the bench a little more, placing himself right against the armrest and patted his thigh. Spencer laid on his side before rolling to his back and staring up at Aaron. Aaron's fingers went right for Spencer's face, tracing the laugh lines at the edge of Spencer's eyes and mouth. Spencer had noticed them more now than he ever had before. Spencer liked them, it showed him that his life was better for Aaron and Jack being in it. 

Spencer closed his eyes as Aaron's fingers traced over the planes of his face and dipped up into his hair to play with it. He knew what this was. At lunch, they had to tell Jack that Diana wasn't feeling well and didn't want to have visitors. Jack understood, and he had spent the rest of the meal eating slowly but also drawing on the back of his paper placemat. It wasn't until they left and Jack wanted to take the placemat with him that Spencer realized he had been drawing a Get Well Soon card for his Grandma D. Spencer had nearly lost it there again. 

There was nothing in this world short of leaving Jack to save Jack's life that would make Spencer ever want to leave him. There was nothing that Jack could do that would make Spencer leave either. Spencer had tried as a child, so hard, to fit into what his father wanted. His father wanted him to play sports, he tried out for T-Ball. Spencer had stayed on the team the entire season and had even got a little bit good at for his age. Once he had got used to it and got the science behind it down, it had been easy. Spencer never would have been the best player, and with his muteness, Spencer had never got too close to the other members of the team, but he had tried. When the next summer season rolled around, William had denied Spencer the chance to even try out. 

Track had been next, the disastrous summer that William had finally left. Spencer had found solace in running, and the cross country coach had tried to get him to switch from track to it, but when William had left, Spencer had stopped trying. It had not been hard to push away the few friends that had tagged along after T-Ball. Spencer was in high school so there was little crossover and it was easy to ignore them. Spencer stopped riding the bus and started to walk to and from school because at least then he wasn't forced to attempt to be friendly to the other kids. 

Spencer would never know if his father would have left if he had been a regular child, a child who could talk with more than just his hands. Spencer didn't know if William would have taken him with him when he left if Spencer could have spoken. There were too many unknowns and given that William Reid had never given a reason beyond Diana's refusal to accept reality, Spencer would never know. 

"So you were talking about a shop earlier that you want to go to? Do we have time before we leave for LA?" Aaron asked, his voice soft like he was afraid of waking up Spencer. Spencer opened his eyes up and looked up at his soulmate. Aaron's eyes were on Spencer, but after a few seconds those eyes darted up to where he could see Jack and then they were back down. 

Spencer tucked his legs up to where he could pull his tablet from his bag and type on it, leaning the tablet onto his legs. Aaron handed over the tablet. Spencer hadn't even realized that Aaron had grabbed it. It was a new tablet for work as well as pleasure, with a speaker on the front as well as the back. Raven had talked a friend she had made in the industry to make one. 

" _It's in Summerlin which is just a few miles down the road._ "

"A few?" Aaron asked, and even though Spencer was looking at his tablet, he could hear the smile in Aaron's tone. Spencer stuck his tongue at his lover.

" _Under fifteen. There is a street of shops that Mom loved to take me too, I want to see if they are there. I always said that if I had a kid, I was going to take him or her there._ "

"Sounds good. We can head there after packing up the hotel room the rest of the way and then go straight to dinner before heading to the airport."

Spencer nodded. " _Sounds good to me. We should get going then. I want to be able to take our time._ "

"Sure. I'll get Jack if you want to head to the Jeep and get it started. I know you are going to miss driving it."

" _No, I'm not. I told you I was borrowing a vehicle from a friend in the LA area for our trip since he's not at home right now. It's parked at the airport and ready to go. It's a Jeep as well. Who do you think turned me onto them?_ " Spencer looked up at Aaron with a wicked smile on his face. 

Aaron laughed and ruffled Spencer's hair. Spencer leaned up so that Aaron could slip out from under his head before heading over to pull Jack from the monkey bars he was playing on. Spencer packed up his tablet and checked to make sure that he had the camera on him. They had taken a lot of pictures on the camera that Spencer had bought for Aaron as a present before the trip. Aaron's old camera was getting to where it was barely working, but the man had been loathed to replace it. It had been one of the few gifts that Haley had bought Aaron that he loved. So it was on the nightstand for use around the house, and the new one was for soccer and trips outs and about so that the old one didn't get broke. It was nice to be able to get Aaron something that he needed but wouldn't buy for himself, for one reason or another. 

Spencer watched as Aaron moved to the edge of the jungle gym that Jack was playing on before crouching down with his back to it. Jack ran at his father and jumped onto his back, his arms around Aaron's neck, and Aaron grabbed his legs to wrap them around him his waist as much as possible. The easy affection between the two often broke Spencer's heart. Aaron had the makings of being the worst father in the world, hell the worst human. He could have easily become one of the men that the BAU chased with little provocation. It wasn't hard to see that Aaron fought what his father tried to turn him into. That Aaron even wanted a child at, all showed how much he had fought his father's influence. Spencer wondered if Aaron wanted more children. With their combined money, they could afford a surrogate or adoption if Aaron didn't want to use his own genes. Spencer was on the fence about his own. The issue that caused him to have damaged vocal cords was not genetic, so the only thing that he had to worry about was Schizophrenia. 

Another child would be good, at least Spencer thought so. Jack loved to play with Henry and Spencer was sure that it was just a matter of time before Jack asked for a little sibling. Spencer would wait until then to bring up his possible want of a child. Jessica would have to be talked to of course because it would impact her life just as much as Aaron's and Spencer's. It was a good thought though, holding a baby, caring for a baby. It actually made Spencer's heartache a little. Maybe he would bring it up before Jack did. To gauge Aaron's response to it. 

"Ready, Papa?" Jack asked as he and Aaron got even with Spencer who was still sitting on the bench. Spencer nodded and stood up. He saw that Aaron was looking at him with a quizzical look, but Spencer's brightened smile waylaid any concern. 

The short drive to Summerlin passed with little fanfare. Spencer remembered the drive to the street that he wanted with ease even though he hadn't been down it in nearly a decade. It hurt too much before and even now there was an ache because his mom wasn't with him. It was easy to push that aside though. Jack was a ball of energy still in the back seat, but he had been that way every place that they went that was part of Spencer's past. 

Jack's happiness at just hearing about things that Spencer did with his mom carried them through the afternoon. A stop at a coffee shop got them a snack and Spencer some much-needed coffee after not getting enough sleep the night before. Jack and Aaron got tea. 

They went to Spencer's favorite shop last, and he was upset to see that the lady who had owned it then had retired and her children had taken over. The kids did not remember him at all. Still, Spencer bought a few things there, and Jack found a few wooden toys that he couldn't be parted with. 

"Are you hungry?" Aaron asked as he opened the door to let Spencer and jack go out first. 

"Yes, Sir, Daddy!" Jack said as he jumped over the metal strip across the doorway. 

Spencer nodded. Spencer pressed a kiss to Aaron's cheek as he passed him. Aaron gave him an air kiss back. Being free with affection in public was easier and easier. Aaron wasn't ashamed of any of it and even when they got weird looks, Aaron never even paid attention to them. 

As they turned a corner to head back to the Jeep, Spencer stopped. He saw a man, woman, and child heading toward them. The kid looked happy and as soon as he saw Jack his eyes lit up. The two kids ran toward each other. Both of them were wearing matching shirts. Spencer's eyes were on the mother who tried to pull her son back, but when the father stepped up to shake Aaron's hand, Spencer gasped. 

William Reid.

Spencer didn't know what to say. If he pulled Jack back, a scene would be made. Spencer looked at Aaron and saw that he was offering his hand to William. 

"William Reid, my girlfriend Clarice and our son William Jr," William said as he shook Aaron's hand. He offered his hand to Spencer, but Spencer didn't offer his back. William frowned at him, but there was more than just the insult of not shaking hands. Spencer was sure that William recognized him. 

"Reid, Papa that's your name." Jack turned his head up and looked at Spencer with a smile on his face. Spence wrapped his arms around himself, and he knew when he looked up at William, William knew that it was him. 

"Spencer?" Aaron asked. 

"It's a fairly common name for the area," Spencer said. 

"Oh, William's first child was mute. Are you deaf or mute?" 

Spencer crinkled his face at the question. He tried to cover his anger but he couldn't. Aaron's arm came up around Spencer, and his soulmate pulled him close. 

"I did not mean to offend you with the question. I've never met a deaf person before, and I wanted to make sure that if I needed to keep my face turned toward you so that you could understand me."

"Papa is just mute, he can hear just fine," Jack said as he took a step away from the silent boy that had been so excited about before. 

"You never did introduce yourself," William said, looking at Aaron.

"Aaron Hotchner and our son, Jack." Aaron did not introduce Spencer either because he knew that William knew or he was trying to protect Spencer if he didn't know that it was his son. "We must be going."

"It was lovely to meet you," Clarice said. 

Spencer wrapped both of his hand around Jack's shoulders and started off. When he realized after he had got about five feet away from the Reid family that Aaron wasn't following him, Spencer turned. Aaron was standing right even with William.

"I would not seek us out, Mister Reid. Your son wants nothing to do with you, and I don't want you around our son or me either."

"William who was that?" Clarica asked, her voice not soft enough for Spencer's ears to not pick up. "Was that your son?"

"It was." William sounded like he was chewing nails as he admitted to it.

"And you acted like that. No wonder he wants nothing to do with you. You said that you hadn't spoken to him in years. You looked shocked to see him at all."

"I've not thought about him much, except when you bring him up. I left for a reason." The tone was meant to sound like he was done talking about it but the woman's tone told Spencer that she wasn't going to let it go. For the sake of the child, Spencer hoped that she didn't.

Spencer shook his head and looked at Aaron. He could tell that Aaron knew that he had heard what William had said. 

"So, you were talking about the places that you wanted to eat," Aaron said his voice just loud enough to carry. "I think I want a Porterhouse. Why don't we hit that one hotel?" 

Spencer blushed a little as he nodded. He looked at his watch and knew that the place would be open. They had time, and it would be better to clear out of the hotel before they went to eat, just to be safe as the hotel was close to the airport. 

"Dad, was that Papa's dad?" Jack asked.

"Yes, son."

"I don't like him."

"Neither do I, buddy. Neither do I."

As their steps took them away from the shop and toward where they had parked the Jeep, Spencer pushed William Reid out of his head. Los Angeles was going to make up for the trip that Vegas had been, which was pretty bad but since he was with Aaron and jack, it was worth it. Spencer wondered though if Summerlin was where his father had moved after leaving him and his mom. If he was that close, all the time. It was weird that he was so close all of that time. Spencer could have ridden his bike to his house. 

Aaron grabbed Spencer around the waist as he stopped to open the Jeep door. Spencer let himself relax into Aaron's arms, taking the emotional support for what it was. Aaron's arms were like bands of strength around him. Helping to hold Spencer up. 

"I love you for the man you turned out to be, despite what your father did. Just like you love me despite my father. We both became good men when we could have become the worst. We have a beautiful son who loves us. Our lives are the best, not to spite them but to show them that they didn't really matter."

Spencer turned around in Aaron's arms and buried his face in his neck. He wasn't going to cry, but he needed a few more seconds of this. To remember that Aaron supported him and he supported Aaron because they were better together and not apart. 

"I'm hungry," Jack said with a giggle. He laid his head on Spencer's hip and looked up at both of his parents. "I want steak, too. And cheese fries with bacon and I guess I'll eat broccoli."

Spencer laughed at Jack, his body shaking in near tears from Jak's words. Spencer reached down and picked Jack up as Aaron stepped back. Spencer hugged him and pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

"Never change, Jack. Never change," Aaron said before opening Spencer's door to allow Jack to climb into the back. Spencer looked up at Aaron as the older man crossed to get into the front passenger seat. Spencer wouldn't change this life for anything else. 


	21. September 2010

Aaron looked around the dark and silent house. There had been a lot of changes over the near year and a half since Foyet had attacked him in his apartment. Sweeping changes had been made all around, no aspect of Aaron's or even Jack's life had not been touched by what happened. None of the changes could have been stopped, a fallout of the attack and what happened after. It was all so surreal to Aaron that his life had changed so much and all of it was for the better. Aaron had learned a long time ago that nothing good came to him. 

Walking up the steps to the second floor, Aaron smiled to himself as he pictured what he knew Spencer was going to look like. Once fully asleep, Spencer rarely moved unless Aaron moved away from him. He would seek out warmth, snuggling into the spot that Aaron left. Stepping around the doorway, Aaron saw that Spencer was exactly like he thought he would be. Spencer was half on his side on the bed, one arm under Aaron's pillow where he had tried to move back to find his lover in the bed and the warmth. 

Covered up to his chin, Spencer was a picture of innocence, but Aaron knew under the blanket he was naked. Aaron knew because he had been naked before he had put on his running clothes to get a pre-dawn run in. Sleep had long eluded Aaron, and so he had decided to get the day going. Aaron had worn himself and Spencer out the night before, a shower had been the only concession that Aaron had given after Spencer had taken what he wanted from Aaron's body. 

It had taken a long while, but Spencer had got used to giving affection when Jack was around and taking it without a blush. Aaron liked to tease him though, and sometimes he would make Spencer blush. Spencer was flourishing in work and in his private life with Aaron there to back him up, to make him know that he wanted. Consults came in from many locations that were just for Spencer to look at. Weird crimes or non-patterned crimes that just needed a fresh eye. Dave hated it because even though it was a simple consult, he had to look them over to make sure that Bureau politics were covered. JJ fielded them all, and it was making Aaron wonder if it was time to add an in-office member to the team. Someone who stayed and took care of the paperwork that always piled up while they were gone. An assistant of sorts that everyone on the team used. It would be a good position for cadets that were right out of the Academy or even someone who was recovering from an injury. Aaron's thoughts turned to agents that were like Spencer, who had never been considered for active teams before because of a disability. There could be someone out there like Spencer who would love for an in within the BAU. 

Dave had not been silent that it had been him that had brought Spencer into the fold and therefore caused Aaron and Spencer to meet. Once things had settled down on the team after the revelation about Aaron and Spencer being soulmates, Dave had come into Aaron's office and with a glass of scotch in hand had told Aaron that he expected a bottle of good spirits every Christmas for bringing them together. Aaron had already placed an order for a case of cigars for him for Christmas. Aaron was going to ask him at whatever party Garcia pushed on the team if he wanted spirits or smokes. Aaron knew that he would pick the cigars over anything else. 

Aaron knew that he needed to get going on his run if he wanted to be back before Spencer woke up. The genius had been waking up at a pretty set time for the past two weeks, and Aaron wasn't sure if he was worried about not getting up in time to get everything ready to take Jack to school or that he was just getting into a routine within the house finally. Aaron stepped up to the bed and tucked the blanket up around Spencer's chin a little more. He leaned over and kissed Spencer's forehead, listening intently. Spencer made a sound that Aaron had heard him making for the first time just weeks before, right after they got back from Vegas. It was a little gasp with a twist that Aaron took as a pleased hum. Aaron wanted to know all the sounds that Spencer made and be able to interpret all of them on every single occasion. 

Times like this, Aaron knew that he had felt a slight bit of hatred for the people who had come into Spencer's love life before him. Aaron knew that Spencer had not been celibate by any stretch of the imagination and all of them led Spencer to Aaron but healing the wounds left by them was a task on its own. 

Spencer's want of making sure that Aaron was satisfied before he even thought about doing it to himself was the hardest to break, but Aaron was up to the task. It wasn't hard to break in the moment, but Spencer always reverted back to it, worried that Aaron would find something lacking if Spencer came first. 

The air outside had a tinge of crispness to it, and Aaron knew that it was supposed to rain, as he locked the door behind him before slipping his key into the little pouch that was around his ankle. The neighborhood was growing again, getting new families into it. Aaron had seen the cycle once before and had enjoyed coming home to hear children running and screaming around, just playing. 

Jack had made a few friends on the block. There was a family of five that had moved in on the other side of the street. There were two boys and a girl, triplets. The father worked for Georgetown as a Physics professor while the mother never really said what she did. Aaron was sure that she worked for another agency in the DC area, but he didn't push because she was entitled to her secrets.

The whole block usually slept until after the sun had risen, there were few early risers, and none ever got up at the hours that Aaron did. He liked running through the neighborhood in the early hours. It was quiet, and it gave him time to decompress. If a run couldn't be had in the mornings, Spencer would sometimes run with him before dinner. The last time, it had led to a makeout session hidden in a small grove of trees a block over. It had been illicit, and the blush that Spencer had worn the rest of the way home with his erection barely hidden had been worth it. Aaron even liked to run behind Spencer so he could watch Spencer's ass as it moved in his running pants. Spencer wore skin-tight pants that showed off his ass well. Aaron loved that ass, and he loved to watch it move.

"Good morning, Hotch," a voice called out, and Aaron stopped running to look around. He saw Old Man Rivers sitting on his front porch, a glowing bright orange light of his ever-present cigarette and a cup of coffee in his other hand. The man had lived in the neighborhood since before Aaron and Haley had moved into it. 

"Good morning."

"I saw your young man running the other day. I didn't realize that he was a non-talker. I think I embarrassed him a little bit. Tell him I am sorry."

"I'm sure that he's fine, but I'll tell him." Aaron watched as Rivers stood up from his chair. The man was a World War II vet and had lived in the same house since he had got back from the war if the rumors were correct. He had never married and never seemed to care about having anyone take care of him. 

"I couldn't understand a word he was trying to tell me, and his phone was acting up, and I couldn't hear it. He was trying to help me with that TV of mine that I watch the games on. I think he knew how to fix it. Tell him if he comes over again, I'd gladly pay him in food if he can fix it. I can't get the picture in well enough on the TV to know who is doing what."

"I'll send him over with Jack so that all else fails Jack can talk between the two of you."

"Mildred two blocks over is scandalized about you shacking up with a man, especially since your little doctor is what about two decades younger than you?"

"About fifteen years. Mildred can go back to watching her soaps and not worry about things that don't bother her."

"That's what I told her." Rivers stopped at the edge of his gate, and Aaron stepped up closer to him. The man had never been cruel to any of the kids in the neighborhood. He ignored them if he didn't want to be bothered but would play with the kids if he was so inclined. "She and Rosemary need gossip to live. I think that if they moved into one of those places for old folks they get about a decade younger."

Aaron laughed and nodded his head. The two old ladies ran the gossip in the neighborhood. Aaron had been the one to let it slip what happened to Haley so that no one would ask him. It was easier that way because the older ladies in the area couldn't keep anything to themselves even if it saved their lives. 

"I heard that Jack wasn't going to the local school."

"No, he goes to New Haven. It's closer to the Academy, and with the troubles after the death of his mother, it was a better fit than public school."

"Glad that you were able to find a good place for him. I'll let you get back to your run." 

Aaron nodded and took off again. There wasn't a lot of time left for him to make it home before Spencer woke up but Aaron was okay with getting in a little late. Spencer would be loathed to get out of bed no matter what. Breakfast was a casserole that Aaron needed to throw into the oven when he got home, Spencer had made it the night before. It basically needed to be reheated. There was no rush to get to work for either of them, no Spencer had taken the day off for Jack's first day of school and Aaron knew that Spencer never would have said a thing if Aaron hadn't as well, but Aaron felt that he should be there as well. 

Jack was going to be going back to New Haven after nearly a year of muteness to now being able to talk. Aaron understood that Jack could be a little pressured and having Spencer and Aaron there would help. Spencer had been to the school several times in Aaron's stead. Aaron liked having a hand in Jack's schooling, and Aaron did keep track of where Jack was but Spencer breathed teaching Jack things, and so when it was time for Jack to do his new assessments for his speech, it had seemed like the natural thing to let Spencer take him. It also told the school exactly how much Aaron trusted him with his son. None of the teachers seemed to have an issue with Spencer at all, even when Aaron had gone to get Spencer added to all of the paperwork as another adult in the life of Jack. Jessica had even gone with Spencer to the school to pick up Jack's updated list of things that he needed. 

Every day that Jack went to New Haven, Aaron was thankful for finding the school, thankful for Spencer telling him about the school. It was a perfect fit for all of them. 

Aaron slipped into the basement to shower when he was done with his run, neither Midnight nor Curiosity would come down to watch him shower down there. He had towels down there. He really didn't want to wake up Spencer if the younger man was still asleep. Spencer had the entire house spotless. Aaron was half worried about even dropping a chip on the floor. He even got Jack into cleaning his room. Spencer said that it was a habit of his mother's to clean up the house really good before school started so that in the first few weeks, while everyone was adjusting to school again they didn't have to do a lot of cleaning. Aaron kind of liked it as other than Jessica taking care of Haley's things in the house after her death, the house hadn't been really cleaned out.

Spencer had let Aaron and Jack make decisions on where things went as new things were added. Pictures of Haley were still around, but now there were a few pictures of Spencer growing up thrown into the mix. Aaron loved the picture on the mantle of Diana Reid holding a baby Spencer. Aaron could see the love in her eyes as she held her son. Beside it was the first picture of Haley holding Jack. 

The house finally entirely looked like Spencer lived there. From the few geek decorations that were on the bookshelves to a few science posters on hallway walls. Spencer older books right beside some of Aaron's law texts and the melding of their fiction reading habits as well. Aaron was happy to have the house feel different now. It had felt half done after moving all of Haley's things out and then Jessica's when she moved next door. Some of SPencer's extra furniture from his apartment went to Jessica's including a large chair that had been in Spencer's bedroom that when Jack stayed the night, he and Jessica cuddled in it to read.

Aaron sighed as he wrapped the towel around his waist after he was done drying off. Going up to the kitchen, Aaron held the towel around his waist one-handed and turned on the oven. Aaron grabbed the casserole from the fridge and slipped it into the oven before making a mad but quiet dash up the stairs to make it into the bedroom. Spencer was not on his side anymore but flat on his back. It was an odd position for Aaron's soulmate to be in, but Aaron still smiled. He shut the bedroom door and dropped the towel to the floor before he crawled up the bed and straddled Spencer's body. 

Spencer was half awake when Aaron settled on his hands and knees above him. Aaron pressed his hands in a little closer to Spencer's body, trapping him with the blanket. Spencer's eyes opened up, and he smiled up at Aaron. 

_Hi_ , Spencer mouthed up at him. 

"Hi," Aaron said back to him before he leaned down to brush a kiss over Spencer's lips. Spencer tried to sit up. He frowned when he realized that Aaron had him trapped. "Casserole is in the oven heating up. Jack's still asleep. I wanna make out in bed for a while." 

The quirked eyebrow that Spencer had on his face told Aaron that he wasn't going to say no to it. Aaron dropped down to his elbows, giving Spencer room to wiggle his arms up and wrap them around Aaron's shoulders. Aaron smirked at Spencer but didn't drop to where Spencer could kiss him. Spencer laughed, his body shaking the bed a little before he tangled his fingers into Aaron's hair and pulled him down. 

Aaron grunted a little as their mouths crashed together. After a few seconds, the kiss turned gentle, and Aaron settled in for the long haul of an extended make-out session. Aaron's plan was strategic because he knew that Spencer's cleaning drive wasn't just to clean but to also help him calm down. 

Spencer was worried about how everything was going to go. Spencer was coming in as a stranger. The other parents were going to look at him weird, for his sex, his age, and his muteness. The other kids would probably take well to him because Jack liked him, but Spencer was showing to be a little off around children and dogs. The first day of school was a simple day. The kids got to wander around and see each of the classes and spend the morning with their parents before sitting down for some simple beginning of term things after lunch. The school year would start in earnest the next day. 

All morning though, Spencer was going to have to talk to other parents, and he was worried. Aaron wanted to start the day well and morning make out before Spencer's brain entirely kicked on would set the tone. Aaron didn't want Spencer nervous. Aaron felt the bed shift a little and groaned when he felt Spencer's legs shift to try and rub on Aaron's. Aaron lowered himself down, to where he was stretched all along Spencer's body. Spencer thrust up into him a little. 

Pain flared on Aaron's ass, making him jerk out of Spencer's hold. Spencer's hand was still tangled in his hair and that hurt as Aaron shot up in bed. He felt Midnight's claws dig into his ass more. Aaron reached behind and grabbed the kitten by the scruff of his neck. Aaron looked down at Spencer as he pulled Midnight into view. Spencer looked worried until he saw Midnight. Spencer reached up and took hold of the kitten and cuddled him down into his chest. Midnight yowled but didn't try and move away. 

"He went after my ass, Spencer. He doesn't need to be cuddled."

"He's a baby. He went after your butt when you wiggled it." Spencer frowned at Aaron and nuzzled in at Midnight's face. The kitten soaked up the attention.

"He's just upset that I took a shower without him." Aaron frowned but leaned down and picked up the kitten. Midnight started to purr as soon as Aaron's fingers touched his fur. Spencer wiggled up on the bed and slipped from under Aaron. He pressed a kiss to Aaron's cheek as he slid off the bed to start to get ready for the day.

* * *

Spencer stared at himself in the closet mirror. He had heard nothing from Aaron since the man had left him to choose his outfit for the day. Spencer had chosen a pair of fitted black trousers that were newer and therefore looked the best. His dress shirt was a lilac color that he was finding Aaron loved to see him in, and his vest was a dark purple. The only decision left was his tie. Spencer had three hanging from the mirror, trying to decide. 

Aaron's reasons for wanting an early morning makeout session had been transparent to Spencer as soon as his brain was woken up enough to start to think. A few things worried Spencer but how the other parents were going to take to him was one of them. If Jack continued to like the school and wanted to go there until he graduated, there would be no escaping the parents of the kids that Jack went to school with. They were going to be there at every single parent meeting, at the plays and other things that the schools put on. 

Deciding on the white tie that was Aaron's Spencer liked to wear. It was soft silk and no matter how many times it was dry cleaned it had the spice of Aaron's cologne on it. Spencer hung up the other two ties back where they belonged and stared at himself as he flipped up the collar of his shirt to drape the tie around his neck. Spencer's head was full of different ways to tie a tie, but he wasn't sure which way he wanted. Aaron had been sporting a Cape Knot in his, it was Jack's favorite knot and one that Spencer knew well, tying and untying it. 

Spencer emptied his mind of worries and just started to move. He didn't watch himself in the mirror but just went on muscle memory. When he was done, a perfect Trinity Knot was staring at him. He hadn't worn it in years. It looked beautiful with the rest of his outfit. 

"Ready?" Aaron called out from the bedroom door. When Spencer made no noise, Aaron wandered in the walk-in closet, looking at Spencer in the mirror. "I've got your coffee in a mug and ready to go as well as a cup for you to drink real quick. I did bring some of those tea bags you liked and stored your tea travel mug in the car so that you don't have to drink tea out of your coffee mug. Jack's in the backseat of the car bouncing up and down."

"I don't want to go."

Aaron sighed and stepped up to Spencer, carefully wrapping his arms around Spencer's waist and holding him tight. Aaron laid his head on Spencer's shoulder, tipping their faces together. 

"You don't mean that. Nothing is going to happen. I'm not going to let anyone put you down. Jack isn't going to either. While I don't want to put people off, if they insult you, I will be a hardass to them for the rest of Jack's school career. We don't owe them niceness if they aren't nice back. You are an FBI agent, a multiple PhD earner and a good father and a wonderful lover. Don't worry I'll keep that last part to myself. You are the glue that kept me together in the aftermath of what happened with Haley and Foyet. I am not going to let you slide yourself to the back. I want you beside me as a partner and not in the back as a dirty little secret. So please, Spencer, don't hide."

Spencer nodded. He knew that Aaron would talk him out of not going. He had counted on it. The team accepting them and the rest of the FBI had been pretty easy. There were not a lot of agents who didn't worship the ground that their soulmates walked on. Especially those that lived and breathed the agency. It was why soulmates were so protected in the FBI charter. The BAU especially was protective of soulmates, they went after the worst of the worst and finding someone who was their mate in every way was a nice bonus. If Spencer hadn't already been on the BAU, he would have been allowed to be trained to join the BAU or even just trained to join the FBI, no matter his status. 

"Now, let's go and eat horrid pastries and talk to parents that we would rather gag."

"I've never been to something like this, Aaron. I don't want to make you look bad."

"Nothing you can do would ever make me look bad in my eyes. Well maybe strip naked and run around but I don't think you ever would. So push away your fears and let's go, before Jack comes back inside."

"Do you want me to take my phone or my tablet as my method of speech?"

"If you want your tablet, take it. I know you like to use it more. Jack talked you into that case with all those weird symbols on it. Show everyone how much of a nerd you are."

Aaron turned Spencer around in his arms and cupped the sides of his face. Aaron was smiling, and he looked so happy. Spencer leaned in to brush their noses together. Spencer could do this, for Aaron.

* * *

The laughter of kids surrounded Spencer. He was squirreled away in the science lab with about half of the kids in Jack's grade. It was just about lunchtime, and the rest of the parents were gossiping in the lunchroom. Spencer and Jack had snuck off because Jack wanted to show Spencer his locker and the cool things inside of it. Spencer had left Aaron in the hands of a politician and hadn't even felt sorry for it. 

Aaron appeared in the doorway just as the seventeen rockets shot off, the popping filling the room and the kids all started to giggle. 

"Spencer, we have a few parents who are wondering where their children are." Aaron was looking around before he stepped fully inside. Behind him were several parents, Spencer recognized them as the ones that he actually liked. There were several kids in Jack's grade that were there at New Haven for the prestige that it gave the kids and nothing to do with it actually helping the kids in any way. A few of those kids were in the room with Spencer. Spencer was making it his goal to get those kids engaged in learning because what their parents were doing was not doing it. 

"Oh, this looks fun and a little messy," a woman said that Spencer didn't know.

"Mommy!" a young girl said as she jumped up and ran to her mother. "We made rockets!" 

"That's really cool. Who is your new friend?" the woman said, and Spencer saw that she spoke very well, her lip movements and enunciation were spot on, a rarity in the modern world. 

"This is Jack's Papa."

"And who is Jack?"

"Me!" Jack jumped up from where he had been ducked under a table picking up the film canisters. Jack ran to Spencer and kind of collapsed into Spencer's lap. "And that's my Dad."

The woman looked at where Jack was pointing at Aaron. 

"Hello, my name is Daphne Holmes."

"Aaron Hotchner," Aaron said. He extended his hand and Daphne shook it with a smile on her face. 

"My wife and I just moved to the area two months ago. I was delighted to find this school." 

Spencer saw another lady enter the room after the rest of the parents ushered their kids out to eat. Spencer watched as she made a subtle gesture with her hand. He knew that gesture well. The little girl wiggled out of her mother's arms and ran for the new lady. 

"This is my wife, Jill." 

Spencer thought about that name, Jill Holmes. He knew it. He had seen it. 

"The new head C.A.R.D," Spencer signed. Aaron's eyes had been on him, but Jill turned to him as he signed. 

"Yes, I am the new head of the C.A.R.D. team for the area. And I know you, Doctor Reid, Agent Hotchner. Daph, these are the two that I was telling you about. The gossip of the agency." Jill stepped forward and offered her hand to Aaron but not to Spencer. "I won't offer you my hand as I've already been told by two other members of the agency that you don't shake hands. Of course, they made it seem like it was the height of rudeness. I, on the other hand, know why. Alice, did you introduce yourself to Jack's fathers?"

"We've been a little busy with playing with magic. Science magic as Jack calls it. I actually know none of the names of the kids that were in the room. I would adore meeting your daughter though."

Alice came forward and introduced herself with her hands to both Spencer and Aaron. 

"She was born with only half hearing in each ear, and it goes down a few percentage points each year. So we've been teaching her sign language and lip reading. She's good at both. We heard the New Haven was the best in the area for that kind of thing."

"Papa is mute, and Dad and I both talk to him with our hands a lot. I see them doing it when they don't want me to 'hear' things, but I still do," Jack said. He slipped out of Spencer's lap and went to Aaron to be picked up. "I'm hungry."

"Let's go eat. Ladies Holmes, would you like to join us at our table?" Aaron asked with a smile on his face. 

"We would be delighted." 

Spencer stayed where he was as Aaron came over to him. Aaron held out his hand and waited for Spencer to take it before he pulled Spencer up. Spencer tucked himself into Aaron's side as Jack wiggled out of his arms and took off to where Alice was. Spencer watched as the two of them started to sign back and forth. He saw a lot of play dates between the two of them in the future. 

The lunchroom was packed with parents and kids. The teenagers at the school were mostly sitting in one of the corners with their parents sitting at the other. Spencer shook his head because he could tell that many of the teens just wanted to be with their friends. There were a few teens that were sitting with parents, and there were even a few parents that were sitting with groups of teens and talking. It was never more evident that many of the kids in the school were there because of prestige. Kids sitting at tables with their back straight and a plate of food in front of them that was served just like food at any other school, but the kids had napkins tucked into their collars and were using the silverware on things that didn't need it. 

Spencer looked at Aaron who was looking around as well. He could see the tightness around Aaron's eyes that told him that he knew well what a lot of the kids in the room were going through. Jack knew table manners as all children should be Jack had no clue that there were different kinds of forks. He had never been forced to eat pizza with a knife and a fork like about a quarter of the lunchroom. 

"You go and find a seat for us. Jack, Alice, and I will go get our food," Aaron said before he pressed a kiss to Spencer's forehead.

"I'll go with you. We don't need to drop any food," Jill said. 

Spencer let go of his hold on Aaron's arm and watched as Aaron with a grin on his face offered that arm to Jill. Spencer shook his head at the antics of his soulmate. 

"Jill has told me about you two. Just the basics after she came home pissed one day because one of her new team was bitching about two men sleeping together. It seems that he had not realized that his new head was also married to a woman," Daphne said as she sat down at a free table. There was enough room for all six of them plus a few others at the table, but so far no one else had sat down at it. It was the only empty table in the whole of the lunchroom. "When she took over the DC C.A.R.D until we moved here from California where she had been working with the Coast Guard on terror response."

Spencer held up a finger and reached into his bag to pull out the tablet. He quickly set it up and turned the volume down to a more personal level before he started to type.

" _I remember when she was appointed. I was very happy about her placement before I even heard about who she was married to. You do jewelry design, right? Moved to the DC branch of a pretty popular jewelry store. I do like looking at jewelry, but I don't like to wear it._ "

"Neither do I. Jill, and I did tattoo bands for our wedding bands when we got married." Daphne looked over at Spencer's tablet. "That's cool. I bet it helps when you are in cases. Makes it easier when your team is not around."

" _Aaron is the only member of the team that knows enough sign language to be able to read my hands. The rest rely on this and paper._ "

"Hello," a new voice said, and a woman sat down beside Spencer, too close for comfort. Spencer scooted away from her and toward Daphne. There was silence at the table. "My name is Mirinda Davis. You are Doctor Reid, yes?"

Spencer nodded, a little dumbfounded that the woman would just sit down beside him. Mirinda looked at Daphne, and a look of disgust came over her face. 

"You know that she is one of those lesbians, don't you? Not the type of woman you want to be seen conversing with."

"Considering that he's already taken, Mrs. Davis and very much not interested in what you have or don't have on under that dress, I don't think that he cares about making friends with a woman who is married," Aaron's voice was hard. Spencer looked up to see that he was carrying two trays while Jill was setting down her and Daphne's trays. Jack and Alice were sitting across the table, looking a little apprehensive.

"He's not wearing a ring, Aaron."

"That doesn't matter."

"You can't protect everyone here," Mirinda didn't seem willing to get up. "He's a doctor."

"I'm well aware of what he is. He's just not the kind of Doctor you think that he is and his work with the FBI, on my team, makes him not the kind of boy toy that you are looking for. He's not going to be able to be flashy for a camera. He's also my soulmate."

Mirinda looked at Aaron like she didn't believe Aaron, so Spencer stood up and took the trays before setting them down and kissing Aaron on the lips. He kept it chaste, but it was very evident that it wasn't a joke. Jack giggled, and Mirinda walked off in a huff.

"I was not aware that her children went here. Her ex-husband works on the Hill and divorced her when he found her in bed with a college student, and the children were with the Nanny. She's bounced to five other college students over that time, and now she's trying to settle down with the first pretty thing that can keep her in the style she likes."

" _I don't think that I have ever been hit on like that, especially in front of kids. I feel sorry for her children._ "

Aaron hummed and picked up his piece of pizza off his plate before he even sat down. Spencer retook his seat and frowned at the pizza on his plate. His stomach was upset from what had happened, and he wasn't sure that he should eat at all. 

"I have gummy worms," Alice said, and she offered over a bag of the worms. Spencer smiled at her and took one of the blue ones before he took a small bite. "I like to leave the head for last."

Spencer laughed at the horrified looks on Jill and Daphne's faces.

"So do I. That way I know they have watched me eat the rest of their bodies," Jack chimed in.

"And the arms and legs off of gummy bears. Then leave them lay for a while and work on the limbs of the rest before finishing them off."

Spencer couldn't help but shake so hard with laughter that the whole table was shaking. Aaron was looking at Jack like he didn't know his own son while Jill and Daphne looked like they would rather be anywhere but where they are. Spencer grabbed his stomach because it was starting to hurt from laughing so hard. 

The table was silent, and when Spencer looked up at Aaron, Aaron looked like he was a little upset. It made Spencer laugh harder. The kids were eating their food and discussing softly what they liked to eat first off of all of their snack foods that were shaped like animals and insects. Spencer pulled his tablet closer to him.

" _It's perfectly natural for children their age to find it funny. They are eating food that is shaped like creatures that are not human. They are not ripping the heads off of dolls or setting them on fire. Gingerbread cookies were some of the first humanoid shaped things and children have delighted in biting the heads off of them for over a hundred years. If they only ate the head and left the bodies scattered around, that would be different. Or if the giggling while doing it lasted past them starting to develop a strong sense of their conscience._ "

"I hope so because otherwise, you are the only going with him to therapy," Aaron said, but he looked at Jack a little affronted. 

"He's not a serial killer in training, Aaron," Spencer signed as he looked at Jack. Neither of them was looking. "We would have already noticed his fascination with live things. He hated it when he found that dead baby bird in the backyard. He's gentle with Midnight and would never hurt him. He's fine. It's child's play."

Jill snorted, and Daphne hit her before she started to laugh.

"What?"

"Child's Play is the name of a series of movies that are anything but. However, Aaron, I agree with Spencer. It's fine. It was just shocking to hear it from them in public after just meeting." 

Spencer looked around the room, seeing a lot of the parents looking at them. When he saw Mirinda looking at him and glaring, he glared back. He barely paid attention to the rest of the meal unless the kids were talking to him. He left his tablet up but used his hands to talk for the most part. It was easier that way and less likely for anyone else to hear him. Spencer wasn't sure how long it would take for him to settle into the role of the stepfather when out and about with Jack but he knew now why Aaron wanted him there. Jack was talking and being animated, but he kept looking at Spencer. Having both Aaron and Spencer, there was helping Jack settle into the school as a speaking student. 

Jack started to laugh, and he nearly fell over as he laughed so hard he couldn't breathe right. Alice was laughing just as hard beside him. The swell of pride in Spencer's heart that Jack had become so unreserved in the past few months with him right there helping him made Spencer feel truly like a parent for the first time. It was a feeling that Spencer hadn't thought he would ever have and it felt damned good. 

# The End

**Author's Note:**

> I write fanfiction for fun. It's a hobby and a stress relief. I refuse to stress over my writing. What you see is what you get. Errors, plot holes, and all. Thank you for reading my story! 
> 
> I can be found on Facebook, [here](https://www.facebook.com/darkjediqueen) & my writing page is [here](https://www.facebook.com/darkjediqueenlair).


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